Allegheny County Email To Domestic Partners

Pennsylvania Equality

I’ve obtained a copy of the email the County apparently sent to 11 employees accessing domestic partner benefits on Tuesday June 24. I’ve noticed a few concerning issues The email uses this language “effective immediately” with no reference to July 31 or a cutoff date. Media reports added that clarification. Effective immediately is a little […]

Affordable Care Act Offers Options to Domestic Partners

Obamacare

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Allegheny County notified employees about the discontinuation of domestic partner benefits via email. Eileen’s partner (a County employee accessing domestic partner benefits) did not receive this notification. I don’t know what the notice said or how it was worded, but I do hope one element was included – information on […]

Partner of Alleg Co Employee Speaks Out on Termination of Domestic Partner Benefits

Allegheny County Domestic Partnership

  I am scheduled for a total knee replacement 8/2014. I also need to have a hysterectomy as I have tested positive for precancerous cells and have a family history. Eileen Halloran  and her partner have been together for nearly ten years. They have 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren. Five years ago, Eileen’s partner took […]

Pittsburgh City Council Elects First Openly Gay President

Bruce Kraus Pittsburgh

January 6, 2014 ushers in the much-anticipated progressive Peduto Administration to the Mayors Office, but also marks another significant milestone for the City with the election of the first openly gay man as President of City Council. In 2008, Bruce Kraus became the first openly LGBTQ person elected to City Council. He was reelected in […]

So Guess Who Found An Entire Archive of Domestic Registry Documents in the Basement?

So … guess what was found in the basement of the City-County Building? Yes, all of the Domestic Partner Registry affidavits. No copies kept anywhere else and they only went looking b/c someone (ahem) raised a stink. So now we have 16 days to complete the rest of the process. Things we’ve learned 1. Repositories […]

City Council to Consider Changes to Domestic Partner Registry

Today I got word that City Councilor Bruce Kraus is introducing legislation to amend the City Code around the Domestic Partner Registry:   Bill No. 2013-1772  Ordinance amending the Pittsburgh Code, Title One, Administrative, Article XI: Personnel, Chapter 186: Domestic Partnership and Common Law Spouse Benefits, by adding language in Section 186.04: Requirements for Mutual Commitment Registry. […]

Would a Domestic Partnership Interfere with a Civil Marriage?

So I continue to wait for someone to remedy the situation with the City of Pittsburgh, I had an interesting thought. FTR, we are now up to three members of Council, a staffer with the Mayor’s office, the ACLU and the Women’s Law Project all trying to find out what happened to the affidavits. Your […]

Has the City of Pittsburgh Lost The Domestic Partner Registry?

What a ridiculous question. How can you lose a registry? So a few days ago, we were informed that we have less than 5 weeks to comply with an “employee dependent verification” audit conducted by a third party contracted through the City (City Council and the Mayor approved of this, unanimously.) These audits are used […]

Pentagons Extends Some Domestic Partner Benefits to Same Sex Families

Here’s some good news.   Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson today praised outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta for his decision to extend to nearly the full extent permitted under current law the benefits available to gay and lesbian service members and their families. Though Panetta’s announcement did not include a number of important […]

The Lesbian Blog That Shut Down the City of Pittsburgh

Reports have surfaced that the City of Pittsburgh was forced to block this website as a desperate measure to keep the City functioning.  “We had no choice,” sighs City Computer Guy,Ken. “We have a computer usage policy – somewhere ’round here – hey yinz seen that folded up tablet paper with the doodle of Sophie […]