Is It Snowing in Hell Yet?

[furrbear]

Hattip to Brad (jesus_h_biscuit) and Michael (michaelnolan) for near-simultaneous posting this to FB:

‘Bama fights brain drain with same-sex benefits

Pam’s House Blend is reporting that the University of Alabama at Birmingham has decided to extend health insurance benefits to the same-sex partners of university employees in an effort to attract and retain superior staff.  The Birmingham News reported:

Dale Turnbough, a UAB spokeswoman, said the change was made “to create a positive, supportive and diverse work environment,” and to help the school compete for new faculty with other National Institute of Health-funded medical schools. Most top medical schools, including Vanderbilt, Duke and Johns Hopkins offer such benefits, she said.  ”We believe this change will help us remain competitive.”

Blend editor Pam Spaulding notes that most top-tier universities offer benefits to employees’ same-sex partners, adding, “Note to Red State legislators that are dragging their feet, citing biblical texts to condemn the homos…your budgets are in the hole, your tax base is shot, and you’re continuing to ensure your state’s third class status by clinging to homophobia. It’s time to let it go.”

Comments

[winstonthriller.livejournal.com]

Oh, I give this about a month before the legislature makes this illegal and recinds the benefits.

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

Hubby and I think you're probably right. Sadly so, but nevertheless. The Talibangelicals are always ready to drag progress back into the past.

[robearal.livejournal.com]

You're probably right.

Now that my husband has no strong ties to this state, we're considering getting the hell out of Dodge.

[winstonthriller.livejournal.com]

New England is mostly human.

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

But Cold in the winter :-)

[winstonthriller.livejournal.com]

That's why we've perfected cuddling.

[jrjarrett.livejournal.com]

They won't do this in Wisconsin, and I know of at least one staff at the UW who left over this, and went somewhere else.

[winstonthriller.livejournal.com]

Even with the winters, so glad I live in Vermont.

[backrubbear.livejournal.com]

I've talked to a few other academics who have gone through similar things in other states. It's certainly leading to a kind of sorting within those states.

[s2dbaker.livejournal.com]

the University of Alabama at Birmingham has decided to extend health insurance benefits to the same-sex partners of university employees in an effort to attract and retain superior staff.

Nice of them to acknowledge that our staffs are superior but how would they know?

...hmmmm...

[putzmeisterbear.livejournal.com]

The snow will start in hell when Mississippi does it.

[cuboz.livejournal.com]

I LOVE Pam Spaulding's caustic comments to the "Talibangelicals", as you call them!

Woo! :-)