Sky West Airlines accused of discrimination by gay employee

[FreeState]

http://queersunited.blogspot.com/2009/11/sky-west-airlines-accused-of.html

Gilbert Caldwell an employee of SkyWest airlines, is claiming the company is treating him and his legally wed partner differently than other married employees.

SkyWest refuses to give them the same employee benefits that his straight married coworkers enjoy. Caldwell is forced to pay a fare for his spouse under the "companion" program for friends, even though his straight married coworkers are allowed to have their spouses fly for free.

SkyWest claims to be an "equal opportunity employer"; however their diversity statement on their website only covers race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. There is no mention of sexual orientation (Examiner).
Mr. Caldwell and his partner have been together for 34 years and were legally married in the state of California. Even though proposition 8 bans same-sex marriage in California, the Supreme Court has upheld the existing 18,000 same-sex marriages that have already taken place.

Tell SkyWest that gay couples should be treated no differently, and that their practice and non-discrimination policy must reflect that. Let them know that their continued denial of benefits is not only socially irresponsible and ethically wrong, but also bad for business.

SkyWest Airlines
444 South River Road
St. George, Utah 84790
Ph. [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[Blue-Jay]

1. Sounds like he has a pretty solid case.

[dsc]

2. No he doesn't

Utah and US have no laws at all banning anti gay discrimination.

[FreeState]

4. California does...

and the company is doing business here (thats where the guys from). Eharmoney had to change its business for the same reason (only it was New Jersey I believe).

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,454904,00.html

[dsc]

5. sorry you are correct on that score

[NMMNG]

9. They should have just gone to a lawyer and had "papers" drawn up

That would have given them all the protection they needed. :sarcasm:

[FreeState]

3. Not for everyone someones already unrecced this...

it just makes DU such a lovely place for us that are Gay that every time we post something of importance to us its instantly unreccomended

[Robb]

6. I'm a little baffled by that, m'self.

But I'll rec it, since it matters.

[dsc]

7. but we are whiners if we mention this

It is always something else supposedly. But nearly everytime a gay issue is posted about it starts in negative territory. It is hard to imagine that it is anything aside from bigotry on the part of cowards who have been given an anonymous way to make gays feel unwelcome.

[NMMNG]

8. The founder of SkyWest, Ralph Atkin,

a Mormon, donated $5,000 to Proposition 8. (I wouldn't be surprised if others gave as well) Is anybody surprised that the airline refuses to recognize LGBT employees as human?

[DaveinJapan]

10. k&R

I wouldn't say the unrec thing is automatically an issue of prejudice though, it seems to happen on a regular basis to any threads that are remotely noteworthy.