How did this go unnoticed or unchallenged for thirteen years?
Posted on 07/31/2013 1:50:05 PM PDT by rhema
ROCHESTER, Minn. -- The Mayo Clinic says its Minnesota employees who are in same-sex domestic partnerships will have to get married if they want their partners to remain eligible for health insurance -- now that the state has legalized same-sex marriage.
Mayo Clinic spokesman Bryan Anderson told the Rochester Post-Bulletin that the clinic hasn't yet determined the deadline for same-sex couples to get married. Same-sex marriages will be legal in Minnesota as of Thursday.
"Mayo has long had a policy providing same-sex domestic partner benefits because those affected were not allowed to be married. That policy notes that marriage would be required if same-sex marriage became legal in the state where the couple lives," Anderson said in a statement.
The Mayo Clinic has offered benefits to same-sex domestic partners since 2000. The Mayo Clinic does not provide benefits for opposite-sex couples in domestic partnerships. In June, the Mayo Clinic sent out an email to employees in domestic partnerships to notify them of the change.
Mayo's policy would be a first among large companies, said Paul Guequierre, a spokesman for Human Rights Watch, a national gay-rights group.
"We have heard companies consider doing this. We have not heard of any companies that have actually done this and from our perspective it is a bad idea to require them to marry," he said.
Guequierre said a key concern is that couples who are forced to marry in Minnesota to get health benefits might move to state where their marriage is not recognized.
"I don't think (Mayo Clinic's) intentions are bad. We would certainly understand why a company would think would be an appropriate route, but I think when you put a little thought into it, it's not necessarily the best for the employee," he said.
Austin-based Hormel Foods is going a different route. The company hasn't offered same-sex domestic partner benefits before, but will begin to do so starting Jan. 1 -- whether a couple is married or not.
That means an employee who marries a same-sex partner before Jan. 1 might have to wait for the new year before benefits become available. Hormel Foods said it is looking for guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service and will make adjustments if necessary.
Why do gays need a Mayo clinic? I thought they just used KY Jelly.
Did you see RT Rybak is all excited to perform some ‘marriages’ after midnight tonight?
The paper said he’s and “ordained universalist”.
I prefer the mustard clinic. The Ketchup cinic isn’t bad either.
Not going to be handy for the Gay sect. They change partners like they change underwear.
No, the key concern of the pink mafia is that by being subject to the same marriage laws as normal heterosexual people that there will be real legal consequences for screwing around outside said marriage. They only want the benefits without the consequences.
Isn't this discrimination against opposite-sex domestic partners who are not married?
interesting to see that gay activists aren’t really that eager to get married.
Can someone explain why Minn. homosexuals would avoid getting married because they might eventually move to a state which doesn’t recognize their marriage? How does that make sense?
how dare these companies deny rights to unmarried opposite gender "domestic" partners...if the liberal gays are right, then ANY two can make a couple...a father and son, a father and his dtr...two sisters...two brothers..
I am imagining the looks on the faces of gays when they find out that their relationship doesn’t get benefits now, unless they are married.
hahaha
” They change partners like they change underwear.”
=
Not true of all. You’re generalizing.
.
How do you get partner benefits if you are not married??
I guess no more SPAM for me.
This is beautiful....bunch of mooches...on our dime...May they rot in hell...
heh heh heh
How did this go unnoticed or unchallenged for thirteen years?
“You MUST marry - The Management”
Makes sense - the old “be careful what you ask for...”
Well that solves the little problem of how they deny benes to shacked-up straight couples and yet stay out of court.
News of the new policy caught Vangie Castro by surprise. Her partner works at Mayo Clinic and they rely on the clinic for health insurance. Castro, who lives in Rochester, said they wanted to be able to take their time planning a wedding and not feel rushed into it because of health benefits.
"It's not that we're not going to get married. We'd just like to take our time," she said.
Who wants to bet there will now be lawsuits to delay this requirement indefinitely?
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