Q. "I need "real-life" examples of why domestic partnership benefits are so important for our community -- beyond the general "it's good for us, it's affirming, etc."

A.

"Imagine being at work one day and getting a call. There's been an accident. Your partner is in the hospital. You jump from your chair and run to your boss's office, telling her what has happened. She gives you the rest of the day off and hurries you out the door with her best wishes. When you arrive at the hospital, a nurse stops you from entering your partner's room. The nurse asks if you are related, and you explain that you're the patient's domestic partner. The nurse lets you into the room and says he will go get the doctor to talk with you about your partner's condition. From talking with the doctor, you learn that your partner will be okay, but not without an expensive surgical procedure. As the doctor discusses the procedure, you don't have to worry about paying the bill, since your partner's care is covered by your employer's medical plan. You decide to authorize the procedure, and within a few hours, your partner is making a fast recovery" (excerpt from Op-ed, by Kerry Lobel, NGLTF Executive Director, May 11, 1999)

This is not a dream at over 100 colleges and universities who extend domestic partner benefits (DPB). As educational institutions have increasingly recognized the value of a diverse intellectual community, many have implemented DPB policies that prohibit discrimination against LGBT individuals.

There are several frequently asked questions regarding DPB including the one which prompted this response. There is a wealth of information currently available on DPB, from a listing of companies, municipalities, and universities/colleges that offer DPB to how to organize for the passage of benefits at your institution. These sources are provided at the conclusion of this document and have helped to frame this response. Hopefully, the following questions and answers will be helpful as we all fight for our rights and those of our partners on campus.

• What are Domestic Partner Benefits?

  Colleges and universities, like other employers, provide various services, opportunities, and benefits to their employees. Partner benefits are the same as spousal benefits and may be broken down into two categories:

  Soft Benefits (lower cost, non-health benefits). For example:

  • Bereavement and sick leave
  • Adoption assistance
  • Relocation benefits
  • Child resource and referral services
  • Access to employer recreational facilities
  • Participation in employee assistance programs
  • Inclusion in employment discount policies

  Hard Benefits (generally including insurance benefits) such as:

  • Medical benefits
  • Dental and vision care
  • Dependent life insurance
  • Accidental death and dismemberment benefits
  • Tuition assistance
  • Long-term care
  • Day care
  • Flexible spending accounts

• Why should we offer Domestic Partner (DP) Benefits?

  DP benefits make good business sense. These benefits are provided for two basic reasons:

  1. to attract and retain the most highly qualified staff, faculty, and students; and
  2. to establish a positive working and learning environment.

  Currently, over 100 universities offer DP benefits including six Big Ten institutions, all Ivy League institutions, and several state-dependent universities, including the entire University of California system.

• How are "domestic partners" defined?

  The term "domestic partners" refers to two people in a on-going relationship who are:

  • sharing a residence
  • over the age of 18
  • emotionally interdependent
  • not related
  • intend to reside together indefinitely

  Unmarried heterosexual couples may also be acknowledged in DPB policies. This inclusion expands the definition of domestic partner to better recognize the true diversity of families.

• If we extend benefits to same sex couples, wouldn’t that be giving LGBT people "special rights"?

  LGBT persons are seeking equitable employee compensation. DP benefits amount to equal pay for equal work. An LGBT employee in a committed relationship is in effect paid less than a heterosexual co-worker whose legal spouse receives such benefits. Health benefits can constitute 40% of an employee's total compensation.

• Aren’t DP benefits expensive to the University?

  The most common reason cited for not implementing DP benefits is the perception that it is cost prohibitive. However, evidence compiled by employers who implemented inclusive policies indicates that these concerns are baseless. A survey by the Society of Human Resource Managements released in 1997 found that 85% of respondents with DP benefits experienced no increase in their health care costs as a result of having added them. The minimal increase is mainly due to low enrollment in the program by LGBT employees. Enrollment is low for 3 reasons:

  1. LGBT employees fear that by "coming out" to enroll for DP Benefits that they will face workplace discrimination
     
  2. While spousal benefits are tax-exempt, DP benefits are considered taxable income, making employees less likely to enroll
     
  3. Many domestic partners already obtain health care benefits from their own employers

  Employers also fear that domestic partners will have more expensive health care needs than married couples (e.g. HIV/AIDS expenses). This fear is also unfounded. The lifetime cost for HIV/AIDS treatment averages $119,000, which is equal to the cost of cancer care. A premature birth can cost $1,000,000.

  It is important to note that employers cannot exclude LGBT employees in order to reduce their health costs. Employers don’t bar their employees from getting married or having children, both of which raise health plan costs. If a company cares about its employees and values fairness and nondiscrimination, it should treat all employees equitably, no matter what the cost.

• How many people would use DP benefits and couldn’t they be abused?

  Average enrollment in a DP benefits plan will not exceed 1% of the eligible population. For instance, Emory University reports 50 out of 14,000 employees enrolled for their DP benefits, and, at Yale, 15 out of 8,000. Most businesses and universities require proof of a couple’s financial interdependency as well as a signed contract attesting to their partnership. Such a contract is legally binding. Affidavits are legal documents which carry consequences for falsehood. (For examples, see the NGLTF DPB Organizing Manual). LGBT and straight employees are no more likely to falsify domestic partnerships than they are marriages. In fact, to date, no cases of domestic partnership fraud have been reported.

• What effect will offering DP benefits have on alumni contributions to the University?

  Development officers foresee very little impact on donor contributions if benefits and privileges were extended to domestic partners since most alumni make a decision based on fairness and equity. Minimal impact (less that $1,000) is reported from other colleges and universities that have already extended DP benefits.

• Where can I get further information?

  National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: Domestic Partnership Organizing Manual
  http://www.ngltf.org/ Click on link for publications.

  Human Rights Campaign: Explore the domestic partner links within their Worknet area
  http://www.hrc.org/worknet/

  Thorson, J and R. Hillhouse (1998). A giant step toward equality: Domestic partner benefits, in R. Sanlo (ed), Working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender College Students, p. 293-303.

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