10/7/11: This afternoon, in response to this national grievance filed by NTEU last Friday, the SEC informed Union representatives that next week it will be implementing Health Insurance Premium Reimbursement (HIPR) benefits for domestic partners in accordance with its 2009 Memorandum of Understanding with the Union. The first reimbursement will be retroactive, for the period from October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. The second reimbursement will cover the period from October 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.  The first

The HIPR benefit agreed to by the SEC is a unique one which will allow employees to recover the lesser of 85% of the actual cost for health benefits coverage for a domestic partner’s self only or self and family non-subsidized health insurance plan, or the maximum employer monthly contribution for any FEHB insurance option for the Plan Year. Under the agreement, these reimbursements will occur semiannually going forward.