Domestic Partner Benefits for American Corporations - Research Paper Example

Despite that fact that this concept contribute positively towards creating a positive attitude on the labor force, this issue has led to numerous debates with many corporate stakeholders wondering whether benefits should be given to domestic partnerships or not. This paper will bring into perspective this issue by arguing for and against domestic partner benefits of employees and later provides its own opinion. The phrase domestic partner benefits could most probably be taken to refer to employee benefit programs offered to non-married couples the same or even similar benefits as those provided to the married couples.

It is worth noting that domestic partner benefits can be categorised into two; same sex and opposite sex partners. According to Woodlink, 36) it is therefore upon the employer to decide which category to give the benefits. It has been observed that due to the escalating number of employers, majority of the corporations have extended the benefits to homosexuals, lesbians, bisexual as well as transgender employees and their families. It is imperative to define who domestic partners are. These are two individuals who have been in an intimate relationship for a long time and in addition to this, are financially and emotionally interdependent.

However, the employers are at liberty to define who a domestic partner is. Additionally, employers wishing to implement a domestic partner plan need to create an accurate definition of what a suitable domestic partner should have. To mention but a few of these element: the partners must have attained the age of eighteen years, neither of the partner should be related by blood closer than permitted by state for marriage. In addition to this, the partners must share an intimate relationship and the relationship must be exclusive.

It is worth noting that documentation of proof of a domestic partner relationship may take a number of forms. It is left to the liberty of the employer to determine what is most suitable. Some get contented with their domestic partners signing a written statement of their relationship while others just require a proof of some financial relationship for instance a joint lease or mortgage. Village Voice newspaper is said to be the first private company to provide domestic partnership benefits in 1982.

By 1985, the cities of Berkeley, West Hollywood and California State followed suit. And since then, both private and public corporations have embraced this program. As a matter of fact, it was said that by 2006, most of the Fortune 500 largest American corporation provide health insurance for domestic partners of their employees. The corporate employers offer a variety of domestic partner benefits in terms of packages. These packages are either soft or hard benefits also referred to as low-cost and high-cost benefits.

Majority of the American corporations offer the low-cost benefits to their domestic partners. These may include among others; sick leave, access to a corporation facilities, permission to attend both company and personal functions and relocation expenses. Other than this there are the high-cost benefits that some corporate employers offer to their employees. This may include benefits such as health and medical insurance among others (Quizterson, 78-82).Federal Defense of Marriage Act