Who Has Domestic Partner Benefits, And Why?
Public sector employers in Wisconsin, such as the City of Milwaukee, the City of Madison, and Dane County currently extend domestic partner benefits to their employees, as do a significant number of school districts throughout the state. These benefits are also a strong trend in the conservative and capitalistic corporate world, where profit is the motivation for any corporate decision. By the end of 2005, at least 229 of the Fortune 500 companies offered domestic partner health insurance benefits. Over 90 private companies in Wisconsin offer domestic partner benefits, including six of the ten largest Wisconsin companies. Why, then, are both public and private employers interested in offering domestic partner benefits? In addition to providing equal protections and benefits to those who do the same job, domestic partner benefits also assist with the recruitment and retention of talented employees. As baby-boomers begin to retire, competition for younger people to replace them is fierce
