In a 4-1 vote, Kissimmee allows health insurance for domestic partners

In a 4-1 vote, the Kissimmee City Commission approved health and dental benefits for domestic partners of city employees, whether they’re the same sex or opposite sex.

Openly gay commissioner Cheryl Grieb made the motion on Mar. 9 at the commission’s regular meeting. Representatives from Equality Florida and One Orlando showed up to support the proposal, but Grieb says no one spoke for or against it.

“There was no discussion,” she says. “I made the motion, it was seconded, boom, it was done.”
The new rules let employees purchase the benefits for their partners.

“It will also give domestic partners the same benefits as spouses as it relates to sick leave and one of the other items is that we have a policy that [city employees] cannot supervise [their] spouse and this will apply to domestic partners as well,” says Grieb.

Employees can also take advantage of sick leave if the children of their domestic partners become ill.

“As far as the insurance [for children of domestic partners], Florida law states that they would have to be legally adopted in order for that to occur,” Grieb says. “Small steps.”

The policy will go into effect within the next 30 days and then employees can add their partners immediately, without waiting for the regular renewal period.

Grieb says she’s not sure how many employees the new policy will effect because they’ve never done an official survey.

“I’ve had about a half dozen employees come up to me and say it was important to them,” she said. “I don’t think it’s a huge number but it doesn’t matter because for the employees it effects, it means less stress, they don’t have to worry about their partner’s insurance, and that makes healthier and happier employees.”

She says there is one compromise. Currently, the city pays a $5 (for dental) and/or $10 (for medical) stipend per paycheck to contribute toward spousal health insurance, but the IRS considers that income and they are not doing it for domestic partners because it’s an expense to the city. The IRS is revisiting that rule and Grieb says if federal rules change, Kissimmee’s internal insurance committee will revisit the issue.

Commissioner Art Otero was the only “no” vote. Otero who gained media attention in July 2009 when he denounced “homosexuality, gay marriage” in an effort to get “In God We Trust” added to the city logo. He did not return calls for comment.

“[Benefits for domestic partners] makes the city more competitive, when the economy bounces back and we’re looking to hire, this will be another feather in our caps so we can attract the best talent,” Grieb says.