Hudson County to Vote on DP Benefits

February 10, 2005

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Hudson County is poised to extend health and pension benefits to county employees' same-sex partners.

If approved by the Board of Freeholders, the measure would make Hudson the first county in the state to offer health benefits to same-sex partners and the second to extend pension benefits, according to a list compiled by the State Division of Pensions and Benefits.

Walt Boraczek, executive director of Jersey City Lesbian and Gay Outreach, who plans to speak at the freeholders meeting tonight, said he expects to see similar legislation in every county and city in the state.

My basic premise is: every step toward full equality is a step toward the right direction, Boraczek said. I applaud the freeholders for this next step toward full equality for all Hudson County employees and citizens.

Officials started crafting the legislation in August, shortly after the raising of the rainbow flag outside the county courthouse.

And last month, Freeholder Maurice Fitzgibbons of Hoboken worked to speed through the resolution after he received a phone call from a constituent who works for the county and wants to include her partner in her health plan.

When you get behind something that happens that rapidly, it's a good feeling, Fitzgibbons said. I think we in government should be on the forefront, but we're just doing it now. A lot of private employees already have it.

According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, a gay and lesbian advocacy group, 78 private employers in the state offer health benefits to domestic partners.

And of the 23 Fortune 500 companies in New Jersey, 13 offer such benefits.

A state law that took effect in July gives same-sex couples - and unmarried, opposite-sex couples age 62 and over - many of the legal rights of married couples: hospital visitation, making emergency medical decisions, claiming each other as exemptions on state income tax filings and qualifying for exemptions from the state inheritance tax.

That law also requires the state to provide dependent health coverage to state employees with same-sex partners, and allows private companies to do the same.

Daryl Herrschaft, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, said New Jersey has historically taken the lead on gay issues.

It's a smart decision on the part of the county because they are competing for talent with other organizations that provide equal benefits to gay and lesbian employees, Herrschaft said. And the benefit will be improving the attractiveness of the county, retaining current employees, and improving productivity because employees don't have to worry about an uninsured loved one at home.

Freeholder Ray Velazquez, of Jersey City, who last summer announced he is gay, and who urged County Executive Tom DeGise to push the measure, praised county officials for taking up the issue.

It's only fair that the county add a component to the state statute, Velazquez said. It's a good thing, and I applaud the county executive for moving forward on this and doing the right thing.

DeGise said the legislation does everything allowed under the law.

We would like to see some things go further, DeGise said. But this is a real piece of legislation that will be enforceable and affect people's lives.

DeGise, who said he has fielded phone calls from people who are interested in the benefits, did not know what the added costs to the county would be.

Once people know the benefit is there, more people will probably come forward, DeGise said.