Domestic Partner Benefits at a Children's Hospital

Introduction: The Case for Nondiscrimination

The Children's Hospital of Dallas is committed to hiring the most qualified applicants, regardless of their sexual orientation. High-quality care is one of the hallmarks of our institution, and particularly given the shortage of many critical healthcare professionals such as nurses, we cannot afford to exclude any group from consideration. Furthermore, the hospital wishes to be compliant with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Nondiscrimination is a cornerstone value of all civil rights legislation.

Given this commitment to equality, a nondiscrimination policy regarding the extension of benefits to domestic partners seems logical. How can the Children's Hospital tell staff members that they are welcome to practice medicine here or to serve our community in an administrative capacity, while their partners are not regarded as equally valid as the heterosexual partners of other employees? Until the state allows gay marriage, domestic partnerships must be regarded as the equivalent of state-sanctioned marriage.

Addressing Concerns About Donor Relations and Institutional Image

Some are concerned that if the Children's Hospital extends benefits to domestic partners, it will be seen as "taking sides" in the debate over gay rights and lose many important donors. They argue that our hospital should not be seen as entering the political fray, and that because it is a children's hospital, it should be focused on children's issues alone. However, as more and more states allow gay marriage and more and more institutions extend benefits to partners regardless of gender, it is essential that our hospital not be seen as "behind the times." Domestic partnership recognition in the United States has expanded significantly in recent decades, making nondiscrimination an increasingly mainstream institutional value.

Most people, unless they have a personal stake in the issue, are unlikely to care whether the hospital pursues a nondiscriminatory policy toward extending benefits to same-sex couples. All they care about is whether they and their children receive appropriate care. A nondiscriminatory policy will attract just as many — if not more — people as it might alienate. Over time, even people uncomfortable with same-sex partnerships will still come to the hospital once it is demonstrated that we provide the highest-quality care in the area.

Community Impact and Patient Inclusion

Furthermore, many gay men and women are parents. Showing a nondiscriminatory attitude toward all persons signals that gay people are welcome to come here for treatment and to bring their families for treatment. A gay family will be more inclined to regard the hospital favorably if they know that staff members are being treated as equals.

As a hospital committed to the health of children, it is also impossible to overlook the issue of children who are bullied because they are gay or are perceived as being gay. Extending benefits to all domestic partners demonstrates that the hospital is taking a stand against bullying. The hospital must affirm its belief in the dignity of all human persons; psychological health is as important a component of childhood wellness as physical health.

Conclusion

Taken together, these considerations demonstrate that extending domestic partner benefits is consistent with the Children's Hospital of Dallas's core commitments to quality care, equal opportunity employment, and the holistic wellness of every child and family we serve. The costs are manageable, the safeguards are available, and the institutional and community benefits are clear.

References

Benefit basics. (2012). Children's Hospital of Dallas. Retrieved from http://www.mylifeatchildrens.com/BenefitBasics/BenefitEligibility.aspx