Subject: Policies/Benefits Database Established
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 01:18:36 -0400

For Immediate Release			         		Contact: Jim Yeaman, CAE
Voice: 312.338-5600    FAX:  312-338-4842

Caucus Establishes Policies and Benefits Database

	Chicago, IL (June 23, 1995) - The Association Executives Human Rights Caucus
(AEHRC) has established a database in which it will maintain timely
information regarding employment non-discrimination policies of associations
and providers of services to the association community.  The database will
also include information about the availability of insurance and other
benefits accorded to the domestic partners of employees of associations and
service providers.
	According to Jim Yeaman, CAE, AEHRC's executive director, "The AEHRC
Benefits/Policies database is believed to be the only one of its kind devoted
to tracking employment policies and benefits in the association community.
 The AEHRC database will be similar to a database which is maintained by the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force on corporations throughout the country.
Since the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) proclaims that
'Associations Advance America' and in light of ASAE's inclusion of a
prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation in its Standards of
Conduct, there is a valid reason why such a database should be available on
the association community."
	In addition to associations, The Caucus' database will include those
organizations and companies with which the association community has an
affinity.  Included will be hotels, car rental companies, exposition
facilities and convention centers, convention bureaus and other suppliers of
goods and services to the association community.
	A key feature of the database will be data on entities which have identified
themselves as "unfriendly" to the association community by virtue of their
published policies, statements, and other actions.  Included in this portion
of the database will be governmental entities which have adopted hostile
ordinances and elected officials which advocate the restriction of the rights
of a citizen purely on the basis of sexual orientation.
	"Furthermore", Yeaman said, "the database will include those who would seek
to offer their services as speakers and/or entertainment at association 
meetings.  If a someone incorporates negative sexual orientation stereotypes
in his or her presentation or performance, such conduct will be noted in the
database".  AEHRC will make a special effort to identify and recognize those
who have pledged themselves to refrain from using negative sexual orientation
stereotypes in their presentations or performances.  
	The initial phase of information gathering is in the form of a brief survey
which is now being distributed to the leadership of the association -
hospitality community and the top 50 (based on membership size) associations.
 These leaders are being asked: 
	1.  Does your organization have a formal policy which protects the rights of
	
	all employees regardless of their sexual orientation?
	2.  Does your organization include the domestic partners of your employees
	in your group insurance and/or other benefit programs?  
(For the purpose of the survey, a domestic partner is defined as someone with
whom an employee has established a committed relationship and in which the
employee and his or her partner share the cost of providing for the expenses
of the household, without regard to the gender of the employee's domestic
partner or the formal recognition of marriage.)
	"If an organization wishes to respond to the questions without having first
received a copy of the survey, such a response should be on the official
letterhead of the organization and signed by the chief executive officer
and/or the director of human resources", notes Yeaman.  
	Information in the database will be made available upon request by any
industry professional or person affiliated with any of the entities tracked
in the database.  Periodic updates and excepts from the database will be
included in AEHRC's newsletter, The Mullican Report.
	The Association Executives Human Rights Caucus (AEHRC) exists to deter
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the association
management - hospitality community.  For more information, contact:  
	James O. Yeaman, CAE, Executive Director
	Association Executives Human Rights Caucus
	Post Office Box 60001, Chicago, IL  60660-0001
	V: 312-338-5600, F: 312-338-4842, E: [email-masked]
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