Judith W. Boyette, University of California associate vice president for human resources and benefits, has been recognized with a national award for the university’s efforts to provide equal treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex employees. Out and Equal Workplace Advocates, a national organization devoted to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI), presented Boyette with an “Outie� award at the organization’s 13th Annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit in Minneapolis recently. Boyette, who has been associate vice president since 1997, was nominated for the award by Shane Snowden, UC San Francisco’s director of LGBTI resources and former chair of the universitywide LGBTI association. “Judy has been a wonderful ally in advancing LGBTI equality and her efforts, combined with those of UC’s LGBTI organizations, place UC at the forefront of U.S. employers in terms of equal benefits,� Snowden said. “Thanks to her skillful and visionary work, UC has equalized retirement benefits for same-sex couples, equalized sick leave and Family and Medical Leave Act policies for same-sex couples, equalized all other benefits vis-à -vis same-sex couples, and extended health benefits to transgender employees.� Out and Equal (www.outandequal.org) is headquartered in San Francisco. UC has been offering health benefits to employees with domestic partners since 1997, and domestic partner retirement benefits since July, 2002. The University of California believes it is important to continually provide benefits that recognize the diverse needs of the more than 160,000 employees that make UC their employer of choice. UC’s comprehensive array of employment benefits includes:

• Retirement and savings investment plans

• Medical, dental and vision insurance

• Paid vacation – three weeks per year (or more depending upon classification)

• Paid sick leave (12 days per year) and holidays (13 per year)

• Life, disability and accident insurance

• Legal services

• Auto insurance and homeowner/renter insurance

• Tax-savings plans