City Extends Benefits to Domestic Partners of Employees

Under the leadership of Richard Frank and with the encouragement of Mayor Slay, St. Louis City has begun offering its employees domestic partnership benefits. The change went into effect July 1 and gives same-sex partners as well as others living in committed, but unmarried relationships, and their children the right to medical, dental and insurance benefits. Enrollees must sign a Affadavit of Domestic Partnership.

Critics of extending such benefits have often cited costs as a barrier. However, the City reports that the change will not add any costs to its medical benefits plan.

The action did not require aldermanic approval and went into effect largely unnoticed. But it is important because it shows that the City is taking meaningful steps to promote itself as a hospitable and progressive community despite a state government which has recently been hostile to gays.