Salt Lake City Wins Gay Equality Award

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Utah’s capitol city has received worldwide attention because of its domestic partner (“Mutual Commitment”) registry and its adult designee plan, which allows city employees to include a non-spousal adult on their health insurance plan. But now the city has received an award for its gay and transgender-friendly policies.

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, a national nonprofit group that supports workplace equality for gay and transgender people, gave Salt Lake City Corporation the award on Oct. 8 in recognition of the insurance plan and the registry, which began in 2008 to help businesses that offer domestic partner benefits recognize eligible employees.

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker’s Chief of Staff, David Everitt, accepted the Significant Achievement Award during the Out & Equal Workplace Summit awards dinner held Oct. 8 in Orlando, Fla.

“Every workplace should be a safe place for employees to be themselves and conduct their work
in a peaceable and respectful environment,” he said. “Salt Lake City Corporation remains committed to our employees as they focus on serving city residents.”

Other past winners have included a number of Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Ford Motor Company. This year’s finalists included Wells Fargo Advisors and Deutsche Bank.

The Florida conference drew more than 2,300 participants from across the country, many from Fortune 500 companies.