Dispatcher Part of Same-Sex Lawsuit

A city of Bellevue (Wash.) police dispatcher has joined a lawsuit filed against the city in state court alleging the city discriminates against gay employees by not providing them with family benefits. Lead dispatcher George Einsetler is a 13-year comm center veteran, and has been in a same-sex relationship with a non-city employee for three years. He and two other city employees who have same-sex relationahips have filed the lawsuit against the city, its mayor and top administrators. The group’s attorney Tara Borelli said in a statement, “This is really about equal pay for equal work.” She said that benefits typically constitute 30% of total compensation. “By denying the city’s gay and lesbian employees family benefits, the city is effectively paying them 30% less.” Download (pdf) a copy of the lawsuit here, or read the law firm’s position on the case here.