UNMC leaders have come out in support of a proposal to expand eligibility for participation in the university’s benefits program to include employees’ same-sex and opposite-sex partners.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider the proposal at its meeting on Friday.
“We back this proposal because it is right to ensure all of our employees are treated equally,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “This proposal is necessary for us to be competitive in recruitment and retention of the best and brightest faculty and staff members.”
Broad support
University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken and chancellors at NU’s other three campuses also back the proposal. Faculty and student senates at all four NU campuses support the proposal as well.
“The UNMC Faculty Senate strongly supports this measure as it will help us make sure all of our employees are treated equally,” said Audrey Nelson, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Nursing and incoming president of the UNMC Faculty Senate.
About the benefits
Under the “employee plus one” proposal, to be outlined at Friday’s meeting by Milliken and Vice President for Business and Finance David Lechner, the university would extend eligibility for coverage to an “adult designee” who shares an employee’s household and with whom the employee is financially interdependent, with family coverage to include the adult designee and their dependent children. Benefits would include:
- Health;
- Dental and vision insurance;
- Sick and bereavement leave; and
- Eligibility for the Dependent Scholarship Program.
This is wonderful! Thank you for moving the university forward toward equality for ALL people.