MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced last week that Mon General Hospital has agreed to conciliate sex discrimination charges by employee Kathy McIntire, who alleged she was denied spousal benefits for the sole reason that she is a female married to another female.
"No one should be denied access to medical benefits simply because of who they are or whom they love," said EEOC Chairwoman Jenny Yang. "The EEOC will continue to advance opportunity for all and protect the rights of workers to be free from discrimination, as our civil rights laws require."
According to the EEOC, McIntire sought spousal coverage for her wife while working at Mon General’s facility in Morgantown. The facility allegedly denied the coverage because its policy only provided spousal medical coverage to opposite-sex couples.
Mon General agreed to eliminate its former policy and institute a new policy that includes making same-sex spouses eligible for employer-sponsored benefits.
“We are pleased that Mon General Hospital was willing to work with EEOC to address and remedy this issue of sex discrimination,” said Roosevelt Bryant, area director of EEOC's Pittsburgh Area Office.
"By reaching this agreement, the company is demonstrating its commitment to ensuring that all of its employees will enjoy benefits that do not exclude coverage to individuals based on their sexual orientation."