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Lambda Legal Represents Bellevue, Washington Firefighters and Lead 9-1-1 Dispatcher in Lawsuit Seeking Benefits for Their Same-Sex Domestic Partners

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"It is simply unfair and against the law to deny these public servants basic protections like healthcare for their partner or bereavement leave when their partner's parent dies."
April 17, 2007

(Bellevue, WA, April 17, 2007) — Lambda Legal filed suit today in Superior Court for King County against the City of Bellevue, Washington for denying equal compensation to its lesbian and gay employees who seek family employment benefits for their same-sex partners.


“Because our clients aren’t allowed to marry according to Washington law, they are categorically denied the family benefits extended to married city employees for their different-sex partners,” said Tara Borelli, Lambda Legal Staff Attorney based in the organization’s Western Regional Office. “Two of our clients put their lives on the line for the people of Bellevue each day they go to work as firefighters and paramedics and a third assists the public when they’re at their most vulnerable and need to call 9-1-1. It is simply unfair and against the law to deny these public servants basic protections like healthcare for their partner or bereavement leave when their partner’s parent dies.”


Lambda Legal represents Larry deGroen, Faun Patzer and George Einsetler who are employees of the City of Bellevue, Washington and each seeks family benefits for their same-sex life partner. Mr. deGroen is a firefighter and paramedic in Bellevue and has been an employee of the city for over 12 years. Mr. deGroen is a gay man and has been with his partner, Thomas Dixon, for over 16 years. Ms. Patzer has been a firefighter in Bellevue for 17 years and was the first female firefighter in Bellevue to successfully complete its prestigious Paramedic Training Program. Ms. Patzer has shared her life for the past four years with her committed life partner, Carrie Wurzburg. Mr. Einselter has been a 9-1-1 dispatcher for Bellevue for 13 years and is now the city’s Lead Dispatcher. Mr. Einsetler and his partner, Cameron Murdock, have been in a committed relationship for three years.


“I felt betrayed by the city when they made me work overtime, unpaid, to make up for the one day of work that I had to miss in order to attend my partner's father’s funeral — a day that would have been granted as bereavement leave to any of my married coworkers,” said deGroen. “I’ve spent over 10 years fighting fires and doing my best to save lives as a paramedic for the city, but I felt like all that meant nothing when I was penalized for being with my partner in his time of need.”


As firefighters, deGroen and Patzer are members of the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1604 (IAFF). In its recent contract negotiations with the City of Bellevue, IAFF pressed the city to include domestic partnership benefits for the members of its union, but the city refused.


Lambda Legal has a long history of actively seeking protections and benefits for same-sex couples in Washington. Lambda Legal worked with Rep. Jamie Pedersen and the Northwest Women’s Law Center on Andersen v. King County, the landmark lawsuit that argued for the right of same-sex couples to marry in Washington. Earlier this year, Borelli, a member of the Washington State Bar, and Lambda Legal Senior Counsel Jennifer C. Pizer provided technical assistance to Senator Ed Murray on the domestic partnership bill that has been passed by the Washington Legislature to reduce certain harms suffered routinely by Washington’s same-sex couples.


According to the most recent U. S. Census, Washington is home to nearly 16,000 same-sex couples, roughly one quarter of whom are raising children. They reside in every county of the state, work in every sector of the state’s economy and represent the full racial and ethnic diversity of Washington.


Numerous Washington cities and counties, major companies and the state of Washington provide domestic partnership benefits to their employees. 79 of the Fortune 100 companies provide domestic partnership benefits to ensure that they attract the most talented candidates in a competitive employment market, and Seattle Ordinance Number 119748 states, “discrimination in the provision of employee benefits between employees with domestic partners and employees with spouses results in unequal pay for equal work.…”


Lambda Legal Staff Attorney Tara Borelli and Lambda Legal Senior Counsel Jennifer C. Pizer are counsel in deGroen et al v. City of Bellevue et al. Derek A. Newman of Newman & Newman, Attorneys at Law, LLP in Seattle is co-counsel on the case.


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Mark Roy: 212-809-8585 ext. 267; Cell: 347-512-3358; mroy@lambdalegal.org.


Jason Howe: Cell: 415-595-9245; jhowe@lambdalegal.org.


Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.

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