New Study} No Adverse Reaction In Offering Domestic Partner Benefits


An Evaluation of Local Laws Requiring Government Contractors to Offer Equal Benefits to Domestic Partners

By Christy Mallory, Brad Sears
 
Local ordinances that require city and county contractors to offer domestic partner benefits such as health insurance coverage have no adverse economic or other impact on the governments, the contractors or the economy as a whole. In fact, research shows that there are actually economic benefits associated with passing what is known as an equal benefits ordinance (EBO). This study evaluated data from 16 of the 17 localities with EBOs and found almost no resistance from contractors, almost no enforcement costs and no other adverse effects. The ordinances simply require that any benefits a local contractor provides to spouses of employees also be provided to domestic partners.
Several localities have explicitly passed EBOs because of the economic benefits associated with offering domestic partner benefits, which can be passed along from private businesses to local governments through the contracting process.   Research also shows that having LGBT-friendly laws, like EBOs, can give states and cities an edge in attracting businesses because they tend to draw highly-skilled and educated residents to the area. Survey responses also indicated that the laws are not burdensome or costly for the agencies to implement and enforce. The localities also estimated that the EBOs resulted in little increase in contracting costs compared to their overall budgets.

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