Jul 23, 2021
Additional Option for Sex/Gender Added
To provide empathetic solutions and proactive support to all members, Empire will add a non-binary birth-sex selection to our membership and enrollment process. Starting September 1, 2021, employers and brokers can enter U in the birth sex field via Electronic Enrollment Transmission (EET). Paper applications are not being changed at this time.
The new choice of U does not denote the member’s gender identity preference, only that it is unknown/unspecified to Empire. We will contact clients about paper applications that do not have a birth sex value. If the employer confirms the employee chose not to provide a sex value, we will enter U for the application.
When you look at employee data, new employees who select U will display a member code equivalent to the code previously assigned to members with a male (M) birth sex value. Member codes for employees who change from M or F (female) to U will not change.
Acknowledging an employee’s gender identity preference is important to their overall health and well-being, especially their emotional and mental health. Having options that help separate the concept of birth sex from gender identity preference allows us to enroll and enhance the employee’s healthcare journey even if they don’t want to provide or specify a birth sex value.
Please contact your sales representative to learn more.