In December, the CTA updated its insurance policy to cover transition related surgeries for transgender employees, as required by law.

Would you ensure that every City agency and private city-contractor has a policy that covers transition related healthcare and prohibits discrimination against employees who are transgender? 

If yes, please explain how you would implement this legal requirement in your first year in office.


DOROTHY BROWN:

Mayoral Questionnaire
The first step is to seek an analysis from the City of Chicago Law Department on the coverage currently offered by the City itself.  Their findings would be instrumental in determining next steps, which may include working with the City Council to pass an ordinance guaranteeing the right to transition-related healthcare, issuing an executive order requiring private contractors with more than 50 employees to provide such coverage, and providing training to all agency heads about the benefit.   

GERY CHICO:

Mayoral Questionnaire
My legal department will work with experts and activists to determine if additional ordinances are necessary to provide full protections to transgender employees and contractor employees.

BILL DALEY:

DID NOT RESPOND.


AMARA ENYIA:

Mayoral Questionnaire
The Enyia Administration would establish a zero tolerance policy for discrimination against transgender employees. It is still legal in the United States to fire someone due to their gender identity—in order for this status quo to change, mayors of big cities across the country must not only reject a culture of apathy and disdain towards the lives of transgender citizens, but implement positive policies like transition related health care that affirm their right to be in the workplace. Our administration would work with pro LGBT activist groups and inclusive providers in the healthcare community to ensure that every Transgender employee is respected.

BOB FIORETTI:

DID NOT RESPOND.


LA SHAWN FORD:

Mayoral Questionnaire
As a full supporter of transgender rights and abiding by the law, I do believe transition related healthcare should be covered across our city government and by private entities that hope to benefit from city contracts. It is right for our employees, and the policy should cover all employees who wish to benefit from it.

JERRY JOYCE:

DID NOT RESPOND.


JOHN KOZLAR:

Mayoral Questionnaire

I disagree with the first part of the question, but support the second portion (prohibits discrimination against employees who are transgender). No one should be discriminated against.


LORI LIGHTFOOT:

Mayoral Questionnaire

As mayor, I will require every city agency (and sister agency, such as CPS) to review their policies and guidelines related to health coverage to ensure that the policies are consistent with the city’s civil rights policies and specifically to ensure that there is coverage for transition healthcare. In addition, I will order these agencies to simultaneously to confirm that they have adopted policies barring discrimination against transgender employees. 

Similarly, using my position as mayor I will work to ensure that private city-contractors have or adopt policies covering transition related healthcare and discrimination against transgender employees.


GARRY McCARTHY:

Mayoral Questionnaire

I likely would need to implement such a policy by using an executive order.


SUSANA MENDOZA:

Mayoral Questionnaire

I’m proud that Chicago is one of the largest cities to offer health coverage for transgender employees’ gender reassignment surgery. As mayor, I’ll conduct a full review of existing guidelines for city agencies and contractors to ensure that they all have a policy to prohibit discrimination against transgender employees and protect their healthcare. 


TONI PRECKWINKLE:

Mayoral Questionnaire
Yes. The time is long overdue that those who value doing business with the city adopt contemporary and compassionate policies toward all of their employees. Discrimination has no place in Chicago, and as Mayor I will be committed to a city government and contractor agreements that support all workers.
 
Within the first three months of my administration, I will issues new standards for all city, sister, and private city contractors with regards to insurance coverage and anti-discrimination policies specific to gender identity. Any agency or contractor whose policies are not aligned to the new standards will need to submit a plan of action to be in compliance with the new standards by January 1, 2020.
 
With regards to insurance coverage, all policies must cover transgender health services including at a minimum, mental health visits, hormone therapy, bottom surgery and top surgery for transgender men. The policies should also place no limit on the number of surgeries an individual can have nor should there be a limit on the total dollar amount an individual spends on transgender-related health care.
 
Additionally, I will require that all city contractors have an equal employment opportunity policy and workplace non-discrimination policies that include gender identity as a protected category. I will also work closely with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations to confirm that we are not doing business with contractors who have repeated workplace discrimination violations.

NEAL SALES-GRIFFIN:

DID NOT RESPOND.


PAUL VALLAS:

Mayoral Questionnaire
I will sit down with the community and see what it would take to implement it. As someone with a transgender niece and is a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ issues, it has always been one of my priorities, well before it became politically fashionable, to support LGBTQ+ rights. I am a strong advocate for equality, I supported marriage equality in 2001, I put domestic partners’ benefits in my school district contracts in 1995, and I will ensure that there is no discrimination in all City departments and in all City contracts. 

WILLIE WILSON:

DID NOT RESPOND.