For anyone who thinks that this administration is no different from a Republican administration, or that this administration reports only to some corporation overlords, I draw your attention to a memo that crossed my desk today.
http://www.chcoc.gov/...
MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
From: John Berry
Director
Subject: Implementation of the President’s Memorandum Regarding Extension of Benefits to Same-Sex Domestic Partners of Federal Employees
As a Federal document, I don't believe it has any copyright restrictions, but I'll just highlight a couple of features.
In a June 17, 2009 Memorandum regarding Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination, President Obama observed that "millions of hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic public servants are employed by the Federal Government as part of the civilian workforce, and many of these devoted Americans have same-sex domestic partners." He further noted that although "[l]eading companies in the private sector are free to provide to same-sex domestic partners the same benefits they provide to married people of the opposite sex," Federal departments and agencies may only do so where authorized by law. The President thus instructed heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to review the benefits they offer to determine whether any could be extended to the same-sex domestic partners of their employees under current law and to report the results of their review to OPM within 90 days. OPM received the agency reports and, in consultation with the Department of Justice, submitted a report to the President recommending that all of the benefits identified by agencies be extended in order to attain greater equality for the Federal workforce and to assist the Federal Government in competing with the private sector for the best and brightest employees.
emphasis mine
Although the benefits may vary a bit by agency, here are some of the ones included:
To ensure the fullest possible application of the requirements of the President’s memorandum the following benefits should be made available to same-sex domestic partners[2] to the same extent that such benefits are available to spouses (and their children):
- credit union membership;
- access to fitness facilities;
- hardship transfers to maintain or improve the health of a domestic partner to the same extent provided to opposite-sex spouses;
- planning and counseling services (including briefings on employee pay and allowances, career counseling, retirement counseling, financial counseling, resource and referral services, planning sessions for permanent change of duty station, deployment support, parenting support groups, and elder care support groups);
- family assistance services (including adoption counseling, parenting counseling, childcare, elder care, financial planning, and home improvements);
- family and morale/wellness/recreation (MWR) events (including barbeques, golf outings, or awards ceremonies);
- access to medical treatment;
- access to lodging or allowances;
- joint consideration of transfers; and
- accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
Deployment support? Does that mean what I think it means?
Anyway, though y'all ought to see what change looks like. I know some of you are skeptical.