City Request on Benefits Law Denied

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A Manhattan judge ruled yesterday against the Bloomberg administration’s bid to temporarily keep companies that contract with the city from having to provide benefits to their employees’ domestic partners.


The judge denied the administration’s request for a temporary restraining order that would have allowed the city to hold off on implementing the Equal Benefits Law passed by the City Council.


Mayor Bloomberg has long denounced the measure, saying the city should not use its procurement policies to further a social agenda.


He has noted that his company, Bloomberg LP, and the city of New York offer equal benefits to domestic partners.


But the mayor, who filed a lawsuit against the measure last week, said the city should not force those who contract with it to do the same.


The legislation would apply to companies and organizations that have contracts of at least $100,000 with the city. It requires them to offer the same benefits to domestic partners of employees, gay or straight, as they do spouses.


Yesterday, City Council Speaker Gifford Miller and Council Member Christine Quinn, who is openly gay, hailed the ruling as a victory.


“The judge’s actions show that the Administration has no sound legal basis for their position,” Mr. Miller said in a statement. “Their request for a TRO is quite simply an attempt to thwart the march forward for human rights. That is something the City Council and, now the courts, will not tolerate.”


The city’s corporation counsel, Michael Cardozo, issued a statement saying that the legislation violated sate and federal law and would not be implemented.


He said the temporary restraining order was requested to avoid confusion while litigation was pending, and vowed to continue the fight.


“The litigation will proceed and the courts will ultimately rule,” Mr. Cardozo said. “Today’s action by Judge Soto has no import whatsoever on the validity of the legislation.”


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