By: Lucia Moses Gannett Co. Inc., the biggest U.S. newspaper chain by circulation, and the E.W. Scripps Co., the ninth largest, will follow in the footsteps of many of their peers by offering domestic partner benefits to their employees, starting Jan. 1.
Arlington, Va.-based Gannett, publisher of
USA Today, said same- and opposite-sex partners of its 47,500 U.S. employees will be eligible for health and life insurance starting Jan. 1. Employees must be in a relationship for at least 12 months to qualify.
At Scripps, the benefits will extend to same-sex partners of its employees. "I think it's evident that it's important to offer this benefit to retain and attract talented people," said Tim Stautberg, vice president of investor relations for Scripps, based in Cincinnati.
The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, which has been lobbying media companies to offer domestic partner benefits, said that more than half of the 100 biggest U.S. newspapers by circulation now offer or are about to offer the benefits, including eight of the top 10. "We?re getting down now to the mid-sized and smaller chains," said Sherry Boschert, outgoing chairwoman of NLGJA?s domestic partner benefits committee.
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