Swampfox
07-27-2009, 03:52 PM
This was sent to me by a fellah over by Raleigh who works for the SSA. I added bold for emphasis. The current SSA/DDS Commissioner is NOT an Obama appointee, he is a leftover from the Bush II Administration.
______________________________________________
Subject: COMMISSIONER'S BROADCAST--07/24/09
A Message To All SSA And DDS Employees
Subject: Establishment of New Advisory Council
While visiting in the San Francisco Region, I met with a group of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees and encouraged them to go through the process of establishing a formal advisory council. We were in agreement that it is important to provide all employees in the agency with the opportunity to participate in the leadership of the new council. Accordingly, we have established an email address, to enable employees throughout the country to express their interest in being part of the new council. Since we want to ensure that all interested employees have the opportunity to participate and because any federal enterprise requires paperwork, it will take a few months to formalize the new council. We will keep you updated on our progress.
In 1992, I left Health and Human Services and briefly joined a major Boston law firm that was establishing equality in its benefit package for same-sex partners, and since then I have been associated with other companies and non-profit organizations taking the same steps. With all of those employers, the extension of benefits to LGBT employees was a very easy process. While Congress has prohibited federal agencies from moving as far as many private sector employers have, the President has asked each agency to extend benefits to same-sex domestic partners to the extent permissible by law. It is time for us to identify and implement positive changes wherever we can, and so I ask for your suggestions and support.
Michael J. Astrue
Commissioner
______________________________________________
Subject: COMMISSIONER'S BROADCAST--07/24/09
A Message To All SSA And DDS Employees
Subject: Establishment of New Advisory Council
While visiting in the San Francisco Region, I met with a group of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees and encouraged them to go through the process of establishing a formal advisory council. We were in agreement that it is important to provide all employees in the agency with the opportunity to participate in the leadership of the new council. Accordingly, we have established an email address, to enable employees throughout the country to express their interest in being part of the new council. Since we want to ensure that all interested employees have the opportunity to participate and because any federal enterprise requires paperwork, it will take a few months to formalize the new council. We will keep you updated on our progress.
In 1992, I left Health and Human Services and briefly joined a major Boston law firm that was establishing equality in its benefit package for same-sex partners, and since then I have been associated with other companies and non-profit organizations taking the same steps. With all of those employers, the extension of benefits to LGBT employees was a very easy process. While Congress has prohibited federal agencies from moving as far as many private sector employers have, the President has asked each agency to extend benefits to same-sex domestic partners to the extent permissible by law. It is time for us to identify and implement positive changes wherever we can, and so I ask for your suggestions and support.
Michael J. Astrue
Commissioner