Union Signs New Domestic Partner Program Agreement with SEC

09/15/2009

9/15/09:  Yesterday, Chapter 293 signed a new Domestic Partner Program Memorandum of Understanding with the SEC.

Under this new agreement, the SEC will provide certain benefits to an employee's domestic partner and the domestic partner's eligible dependent children. The benefits include employee dental insurance, employee vision insurance and a new Health Insurance Premium Reimbursement benefit.

The Health Insurance Premium Reimbursement benefit 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 & family non-subsidized health insurance plan, or the maximum employer monthly contribution for any FEHB insurance option for the Plan Year. The reimbursements will occur semiannually, for expenses commencing on January 1, 2010. NTEU and the SEC are at the forefront on this issue.

NTEU is continuing to support passage of HR 2517, the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act. This legislation, introduced by Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and cosponsored by 116 other members of the House, would extend to domestic partners many of the benefits and obligations that currently are available to married couples. In the Senate, Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have introduced companion legislation (S. 1102). NTEU will also work to bring this bill to the floor in the Senate.

NTEU remains hopeful that floor consideration of this legislation will come before the end of the year.