OPM Wants Feedback on Federal Regulations That Include Domestic Partners in Definition of Family

[furrbear]

The U.S. Office of Personal Management wants feedback on proposed changes to federal regulations that would include same sex domestic partners in the definition of family member for the purpose of using federal employment benefits.

Specifically, the changes would allow federal employees to use sick leave, funeral leave, voluntary leave transfers, the voluntary leave bank, and emergency leave transfers to care for their same sex partners. The current regulation is 5 C.F.R. § 630.

Read the full text of the proposed regulations [PDF] (which include the OPM's explanation behind them).

Then, you can send the OPM your comments through their special online form.

Comments

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

But that would be covered under FMLA, right? In that light, this is just extending the definition of 'family'.

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

and passport name changes :-)

The really good thing about this, though it seems minor, is that these Fed OPM definitions have this way of working out first to Fed contractors and then eventually spreading to all employers.

Once we become 'families', it much more difficult for the Right to vilify same-sex couples.

[strongaxe.livejournal.com]

This is good, but wouldn't they need to repeal DOMA first?

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

Nope. They are basing the benefit decisions on the definition of "family." DOMA defines "marriage" at the Federal level.