Date
Employer Contact
Address

Dear ____________:

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a Commission Decision on December 14, 2000, holding that employers that exclude coverage of prescription contraceptives from their employers health plans, when other prescription drugs and devices are covered, are engaging in unlawful sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 that is incorporated into Title VII. This decision was reinforced by the U.S. District Court, Western District's ruling on June 12, 2001, in Erickson v. The Bartell Company.

Based on this decision, the Union requests that (insert name of employer) take immediate steps to comply with this decision in all health plans offered to (insert name of employer) employees. The Union believes that the (insert employer name) is vulnerable to EEOC charges and possibly a lawsuit on this issue. Consequently, compliance is not only prudent, it is the right thing to do.

This coverage can be extended to employees with little or no additional cost. A recent study by consulting actuaries from Buck Consultants found that the estimated cost of adding contraceptive coverage to health plans was $1.43 per month per employee. These costs may be more than offset by savings due to a reduced number of pregnancies. In fact, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management reported that the federal government added contraceptive coverage with no increased cost.

We would like to meet with you to discuss this issue at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

Name
Title