Councilwoman Proposes Same-Sex Benefits for City Workers

Courtesy of Blondell Reynolds Brown

Since 1996, the partners of city employees have been eligible for benefits in Philadelphia thanks to an executive order by then-Mayor Ed Rendell. This week, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown has proposed that same-sex partners of city workers should be entitled to the same benefits in Philadelphia.

The councilwoman said that her plan, which she expects to gain widespread support in council, is inspired by similar measures in other cities that provides benefits for the partners of gay and lesbian employees. In Philly, she says partners of workers at companies valued at $250,000 or more would be eligible.

“The intent of the bill is to give employment benefits to life partners, just as we already do for spouses of married couples,” Brown explained to CBS3.

If the measure passes, Brown has said the pool of potential recipients of these benefits would likely be small, but the benefits would match what heterosexual partners already receive under the same guidelines in the city.