Some city workers will have access to a $10,000 benefit to cover family planning costs, including adoption, surrogacy, and egg or sperm donation, the Adams administration announced on Oct. 28.
The new initiative will be available to 27,000 non-union employees who receive benefits through the Management Benefits Fund, which covers both non-union employees and retirees.
In announcing the new benefit, the mayor said the initiative was championed by out lesbian Queens Councilmember Schulman, who he said “did not allow us to rest” and raised the issue “every time I saw her.”
“Our city’s health benefits program currently provides coverage for fertility treatments,” Adams said. “Services like surrogacy are not covered by employees’ health insurance, nor are the costs associated with adoption. This new benefit helps employees across city government, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, build the families they want. And it is yet another example of how this administration in our city supports working people.”
The new benefit will only cover a small percentage of the city’s hundreds of thousands of workers. The Adams administration did not respond to questions about why the program is so limited and what options other city workers may have.
Still, the move addresses glaring gaps in family planning benefits for LGBTQ couples. The issue has become more prominent in recent years following the 2021 legalization of gestational surrogacy in New York State and the story of Brooklyn-based gay couple Corey Briskin and Nicholas Maggipinto, who filed a discrimination complaint against the city two years ago because they were barred from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) services through the city’s health insurance plan simply because they’re gay.
Earlier this year, the couple filed a federal class action lawsuit accusing the city of violating the civil and constitutional rights of gay men across the city by denying them IVF benefits that are offered to straight couples, lesbian couples, and single women.
Attorney Peter Romer-Friedman, who represents Briskin and Maggipinto, noted in a written statement that the couple welcomes the new $10,000 benefit, which they said “will help gay men who work for the city and many other employees to grow their families.” But they also emphasized the fine print.
“While this modest new benefit is a step in the right direction, it’s important to recognize that many city workers today cannot receive equal family-building benefits under the city’s health insurance plan, especially gay men,” Romer-Friedman said on behalf of the couple. “This new benefit also does not apply to the vast majority of the city’s 300,000-plus workers.”
Schulman, who chairs the City Council’s Health Committee and is a member of the LGBTQIA+ Caucus, also praised the new benefit as she stressed that many New Yorkers value the importance of building a family, including queer New Yorkers.
“That is why today marks a transformative moment for our city’s workforce and families,” Schulman siad. “By offering ‘Family Building Benefits’ of up to $10,000 for costs related to adoption, surrogacy, and egg and sperm donation, New York City is leading the way in supporting our employees during one of the most significant journeys of their lives. This initiative not only affirms our commitment to fostering family growth for all, but also positions New York City as a pioneer in equitable and inclusive employee benefits. Every individual and couple, including those who are LGBTQ+, deserve the opportunity and resources to build a family. I am very proud to take this positive life-changing step forward, together with Mayor Adams and his team.”
