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Sep 22, 2011
By a vote of 10 to 6, the Appleton Common Council approved a measure extending healthcare and related employment benefits to the registered domestic partners of city workers on Sept. 7.
The move makes the city a more competitive recruiter, said Mayor Tim Hanna.
“We do want to be able to attract good, talented employees and retain good, talented employees and level the playing field in terms of access to benefits,” Hanna told council members.
The decision also marks an important victory for fairness, said Fair Wisconsin executive director Katie Belanger. “Appleton’s vision for creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace makes them a leader in our efforts to build a more fair and just state for all Wisconsinites,” Belanger said.
Belanger singled out Hanna, Alds. Teege Mettille, Christoph Wahl and Kole Oswald, as well as Appleton human resources director Sandy Neisen, for praise.
The benefit expansion was opposed by aldermen who said the estimated $100,000 price tag is too high.
The addition of domestic partner benefits in Appleton was part of a larger plan to standardize benefit packages for non-union employees after a state law adopted earlier this year eliminated most collective bargaining rights for state unions.
Appleton’s extension of domestic partnership benefits comes after Milwaukee County passed a similar law this summer. The state of Wisconsin, the city of Milwaukee, Marquette University, Kimberly-Clark, Aurora Health Care and MillerCoors are among the state’s many major employers also offering the benefits.
