This is both humane and a sensible move. It will have little impact on the bottom line, but may get gay rights groups to stop bashing WM:
According to Wal-Mart's (Research) ethics code, "Immediate family members include (whether by birth, adoption, marriage or Domestic Partnership or Civil Union, if recognized by your state or other local law) your spouse, children, parents, siblings, mothers- and fathers-in-law, sons- and daughters-in-law and brothers- and sisters-in-law."Still WM is being rather coy about this:Gay- and lesbian-rights groups praised Wal-Mart...
The Wal-Mart Stores Inc. policy change -- disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday -- accounts for the laws in some states that recognize domestic partnerships and civil unions, officials said.The Eclectic Econoclast sends in a link to Kip Esquire:Company spokesman Gus Whitcomb on Thursday declined to say if the change would affect employee benefits, or whether it meant Wal-Mart was taking a position on the issue of same-sex marriage or civil unions.
Markets in everything. Wal-Mart competes not only on price, and not only on wages, but on benefits as well. As a sort-of Wal-Mart competitor might have said: "It's a good thing..."natch...
Posted by Kevin on January, 28 2005 at 10:11 AM
