Overview

Beginning January 2001, the Public Employees' Benefits Board (PEBB) extended medical, dental, and life insurance coverage to same-sex domestic partners only. They did not extend coverage to opposite-sex partners, because it is anticipated that this is a much larger group, and it would have been a significantly greater cost to do to this. They also spoke to the fact that same-sex partners have no current legal options to marry, but opposite-sex domestic partners have this option.

Definition a Same-Sex Domestic Partnership

Same-Sex Domestic Partnerships are unmarried couples in committed, on-going family relationships, including lesbian and gay partners (and their children). Under the definition provided by PEBB, Same-Sex Domestic Partners are:

• Two people who have been same-sex domestic partners continuously for a minimum of six months,
• Who share the same regular and permanent residence,
• Who have a close personal relationship in lieu of a lawful marriage,
• Who have agreed to be jointly responsible for basic living expenses (as defined on the Declaration of Marriage/Same-Sex Domestic Partnership form) incurred during the domestic partnership,
• Who are not married to anyone,
• Who are each eighteen (18) years of age or older,
• Who are not related by blood as close as would bar marriage,
• Who were mentally competent to consent to a contract when the domestic partnership began,
• Who are each other's sole domestic partner and are responsible for each other's common welfare,
• Who are same-sex partners who are barred from a lawful marriage.

Benefits and Costs

Eligible same-sex domestic partners may be enrolled in medical, dental and life insurance benefits. Long-term disability coverage is available only for employees.

There are two potential costs to the employee for this benefit. First, the monthly premiums for a same-sex domestic partner are the same as for a spouse. Additionally, if your partner does not qualify as an IRC Section 152 dependent, additional income taxes are due for the imputed value of this insurance benefit.

Confidentiality

The Declaration of Marriage/Same-Sex Domestic Partnership is kept confidential, within limits. As with all your benefits records, this information is secure, but may be disclosed in response to a court order or subpoena.

Waiving Coverage and Adding Coverage at a Later Date

Same-Sex Domestic Partner coverage is subject to the same enrollment and eligibility considerations as other dependents. If you do not certify your domestic partner during the annual open enrollment period, you will not be able to enroll him/her later in the year, except during an annual open enrollment period.

You may enroll your same-sex domestic partner and waive medical and/or dental coverage. Enrolling and waiving coverage preserves his/her right to enter the plan outside open enrollment if he/she loses other group coverage. Loss of other group coverage is the only exception to adding a dependent outside of open enrollment. However the PEBB requires that the person be listed as an eligible dependent if you wish to preserve this right.

If you do not enroll your domestic partner in life insurance within the first 60 days of your initial eligibility date, he/she may be subject to evidence of insurability and possible declination of coverage.

Enrolling a Partner

You will need to complete the:

• Declaration of Marriage/Same Sex Domestic Partnership and Declaration of Tax Status forms
• Regular medical, dental enrollment form
• Regular life insurance enrollment form

Terminating our Same-Sex domestic partnership registration

The Declaration of Marriage/Same-Sex Domestic Partnership form includes an agreement that the employee will notify the Benefits Office if the domestic partnership no longer meets all of the qualifying criteria. COBRA-equivalent coverage is available for the non-employee partner.