Federal Employee Union Praises White House Executive Memo on Domestic Partnerships and Non-Discrimination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Randy Erwin, Legislative Director
Phone: (202) 257-0948

Washington, D.C. – The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), a national union representing 100,000 federal workers throughout government, praises President Barack Obama’s memorandum extending benefits to federal employees with same sex domestic partners.

In a letter to President Obama, NFFE National President Richard N. Brown stressed the union’s commitment to building a fair and just federal workplace.

“Since benefits comprise a great deal of federal employees’ compensation, we believe this change will help make tremendous strides toward ensuring fairness and equality within the federal workplace,” said Brown. “There are an estimated 30,000 federal employees who are in committed, same-sex relationships who will benefit substantially from this executive memorandum. These employees are deserving of the benefits for which they have worked hard to earn.  They are also deserving of the dignity that comes with their relationships being duly recognized by their employer.” 

Though the benefits extended by the executive memorandum are a step in the right direction, it falls short of ensuring full benefit equality for federal employees in domestic partnerships.

“Although we are pleased to see the progress made with this executive memorandum, there remains much to be done to secure the full range of benefits that federal employees in domestic partnerships deserve,” said Brown.

Indeed, establishing full benefits for federal employees in domestic partnerships would require a change in law.  The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009 (H.R. 2517/S. 1102), a bipartisan piece of legislation in both chambers of Congress, would exact the necessary change that federal employees deserve.