Offering Same-Sex Domestic Partner Benefits to Government Employees: Reasons, Examples, and Methods

Abstract

Offering benefits, such as family leave and insurance, to gay and lesbian employees and their spouses/partners expands a government's hiring pool, improves workplace satisfaction, and fosters a diverse workforce. Offering same-sex domestic partner benefits has public support and costs .5–1% more than offering benefits to heterosexual employees alone. Drawing on literature in public administration, human resources, and psychology, as well as policy examples from domestic and foreign governments, three critical aspects of this issue are discussed. First, reasons to provide same-sex domestic partner benefits are examined. Second, this paper looks at policy examples from governments and private employers, and the costs of providing the benefits. Third, this paper provides recommendations and suggested language for policies to provide benefits to same-sex domestic partners.