Sunday, January 12, 2014

The dye is already cast. Social change and diversity will be a national reality.

Monday, October 8, 2012

...Thirty-two percent of the 37 large companies polled (click here) by the National Business Group on Health in 2010 offered transgender health benefits, says Helen Darling, the organization's CEO -- up from 27 percent in a similar survey conducted in 2007, she adds. Of the companies that offered the benefits in 2010, 14 percent included coverage for sex-reassignment surgery and 5 percent said they planned to cover it in the following year, she says.
Companies that offer transgender benefits include American Express, Wells Fargo & Co., Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs.
Financial-services firms and technology companies based on the East and West Coasts are pioneers in this area, says Darling, just as they were when domestic partner benefits were still a new concept.
"Coverages that are kind of unusual tend to start out in places like California and New York City and then spread out from there," says Darling.
What's driving this trend? Darling says it's a combination of society's growing awareness and acceptance of transgendered people coupled with employee affinity groups that are petitioning their companies to offer these benefits. Outside groups such as the HRC are also drawing attention to the issue, she says.
However, the trend does face roadblocks -- one of them being cost, says Darling....