Issue of Equal Benefits Goes to Committee and Citizen Human Relations Commission

Glad that my colleague Robert Garcia agreed to my suggestion that the proposal to require benefits for the domestic partners of employees employed by companies doing business with the City of Long Beach needs to be studied and vetted before we take any action and that the proper places to do so are the Council Committee on Economic Development and the citizen Human Relations Commission.

There are a number of issues that need to be reviewed before the Council instructs the City Attorney to draft an ordinance: who has to comply; can religious organizations be exempted; what is the dollar amount that triggers compliance; does this include the workers at the hotels and other businesses which lease city owned land; what is the appeal process if a company is rejected on the basis they don't provide benefits; what types of benefits will be mandated -- in most ordinances on this topic it isn't just health benefits that need to be provided -- it's sick leave, family medical leave, etc.

I look forward to the study and the discussion. It will make much better law in the long-run.