| Title: Same-Gender Marriage, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships: Recent Developments and the Impact on Employee Benefit Plans Sponsored by: Thompson Interactive, A Division of Thompson Publishing Group |
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n 2005, Massachusetts legalized same-gender marriage and various other states such as California, New York, Oregon, and New Jersey issued marriage licenses to same-gender couples. Since then, many other states have proposed same-gender marriage and civil union legislation while courts around the country have provided marriage-equivalent rights to same-gender couples. California has even mandated that certain employers and certain type of plans cover domestic partners. On the other hand, in response to the flurry of same-gender marriages, over fifteen states recently passed state constitutional amendments banning same-gender marriages. In addition, 45 states have gdefense of marriageh laws or constitution provisions providing that the state does not have to recognize same-gender marriages performed in other states. Some of the court cases granting marriage-equivalent rights to same-gender couples have even been reversed by higher courts. These conflicting signals can be troubling for employers. Many employees have presented their employers with marriage licenses covering same-gender spouses and have demanded spousal benefits. Other employers have yet to have an employee marry a same-gender partner, but are busy trying to formulate their policies for how to treat domestic partners, civil union parties, and same-gender spouses. The employerfs answer can depend on the jurisdiction where the marriage was performed and the state(s) where the employee lives and works. Employers facing such situations have to evaluate their benefit plan documents, HR policies, and administrative procedures in light of state and local laws and court cases in order to know how to respond. Are you in the midst of such a situation? Even if you're not caught up in one now, you'll want/need to be prepared. Learn the answers to your questions during this 90-minute, interactive audio conference with employee benefits expert, Todd Solomon. Mr. Solomon is a partner in the Employee Benefits Department of the Chicago office of the McDermott Will & Emery law firm. He is also the co-author of the first and second editions of "Domestic Partner Benefits: An Employer's Guide," as well as the author of the third and newly published fourth editions. For details and registration information, click: http://www.thompsoninteractive.com/upcoming.asp?topic=emb&id=638&priority=FKYG13014 |