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Dow Jones Agrees to Contraceptive Equity
In a victory for contraceptive equity, female employees at the Wall Street Journal and other Dow Jones entities now have prescription birth control coverage in all medical plans the media company offers.
The coverage is part of an agreement between CWA and Dow Jones to settle charges that three union members filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The women, members of the Independent Association of Publishers' Employees, TNG-CWA Local 1096, charged that failing to cover contraceptives was a matter of sex discrimination.
The EEOC ruled in 2000 that excluding contraceptives from health plans violates the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act, but few companies are complying without pressure from unions.
Dow Jones had covered birth control in some of its health plans, but not in the one favored by most employees. Under the settlement, Dow Jones will provide coverage for prescription contraceptives and related medical services in all of its medical plans. It will also reimburse current and former employees and their covered dependents for the costs of contraceptives and related services dating back to Jan. 1, 2001.
The coverage is part of an agreement between CWA and Dow Jones to settle charges that three union members filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The women, members of the Independent Association of Publishers' Employees, TNG-CWA Local 1096, charged that failing to cover contraceptives was a matter of sex discrimination.
The EEOC ruled in 2000 that excluding contraceptives from health plans violates the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act, but few companies are complying without pressure from unions.
Dow Jones had covered birth control in some of its health plans, but not in the one favored by most employees. Under the settlement, Dow Jones will provide coverage for prescription contraceptives and related medical services in all of its medical plans. It will also reimburse current and former employees and their covered dependents for the costs of contraceptives and related services dating back to Jan. 1, 2001.