However, 53% of organizations do not offer domestic partner benefits at all, and have no plans to do so. Of the 93% percent of respondents that offer spousal benefits to benefit-eligible U.S. employees, a little over half (55%) offer these benefits to different-sex spouses only.
The Spousal and Domestic Partner Benefits survey, conducted in September 2011, received 604 responses, of which just over 70% originated from organizations with fewer than 500 employees.
Additional Findings:
- Just under 70% of organizations offering domestic partner benefits require a Domestic Partner Affidavit or other certification of the domestic partner relationship.
- Few organizations offer retirement benefits, including detailed benefits plans or hardship distribution options, to either spouses or domestic partners.
- Amongst other benefits most commonly offered to spouses and/or domestic partners, are an employee assistance program (EAP), FMLA leave, bereavement leave, and attendance at employer events/functions.
The tables below present the detailed national results. [Go here for detailed breakdowns by company size, geographical region, and organization type.]
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Q1. Does your organization offer benefits to SPOUSES of benefit-eligible U.S. employees?
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Yes, organization-wide |
92.7% |
558 |
Yes, in certain sections of the organization |
1.7% |
10 |
No, but plan to in the next 12 months |
0.5% |
3 |
No, but plan to at some point |
0.7% |
4 |
No, with no plans to |
3.8% |
23 |
Unsure |
0.7% |
4 |
|
answered question |
602 |
|
skipped question |
2 |
Q2. For how long has your organization been offering SPOUSAL benefits?
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Less than a year |
1.4% |
8 |
1-3 years |
3.2% |
19 |
4-6 years |
4.3% |
25 |
7-9 years |
3.6% |
21 |
More than 10 years |
82.1% |
482 |
Unsure |
5.5% |
32 |
|
answered question |
587 |
|
skipped question |
17 |
Q3. Does you organization offer SPOUSAL benefits to:
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Different sex spouses only |
54.9% |
304 |
Same sex spouses only |
6.1%* |
34* |
Different and same sex spouses |
35.7% |
198 |
Unsure |
3.2% |
18 |
|
answered question |
554 |
|
skipped question |
50 |
*Note; this response puzzles us; it’s not clear in what situation an organization would offer benefits to same sex spouses but not to different sex spouses. Any readers care to enlighten us?
Q4. Does your organization require dependent eligibility or proof of relationship documentation for SAME SEX spouses, beyond what it requires for OPPOSITE SEX spouses?
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Yes |
18.8% |
84 |
No |
64.6% |
288 |
Unsure |
16.6% |
74 |
|
answered question |
446 |
|
skipped question |
158 |
Q5. A domestic partner of an employee is usually classed as a person who has attained a minimum age (typically 18) and has been sharing a committed, exclusive relationship for at least six months with the employee, to whom they are not related, with both partners being financially interdependent. Does your organization offer benefits to DOMESTIC PARTNERS of benefit-eligible U.S. employees?
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Yes, organization-wide |
36.2% |
207 |
Yes, in certain sections of the organization |
1.9% |
11 |
No, but plan to in the next 12 months |
1.6% |
9 |
No, but plan to at some point |
4.9% |
28 |
No, with no plans to |
53.3% |
305 |
Unsure |
2.1% |
12 |
|
answered question |
572 |
|
skipped question |
32 |
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Q6. For how long has your organization been offering DOMESTIC PARTNER benefits?
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Less than a year |
9.6% |
21 |
1-3 years |
30.3% |
66 |
4-6 years |
21.6% |
47 |
7-9 years |
8.3% |
18 |
More than 10 years |
22.0% |
48 |
Unsure |
8.3% |
18 |
|
answered question |
218 |
|
skipped question |
386 |
Q7. Does you organization offer DOMESTIC PARTNER benefits to:
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Different sex domestic partners only |
6.5% |
14 |
Same sex domestic partners only |
19.0% |
41 |
Different and same sex domestic partners |
72.2% |
156 |
Unsure |
2.3% |
5 |
|
answered question |
216 |
|
skipped question |
388 |
Q8. Does your organization ask for a Domestic Partner Affidavit to certify a domestic partnership? (This is a document which sets out benefit eligibility requirements for domestic partners and which is confirmed and signed by both partners).
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Yes |
69.3% |
147 |
No |
26.9% |
57 |
Unsure |
3.8% |
8 |
|
answered question |
212 |
|
skipped question |
392 |
Q9. Does your organization ask for any other types of dependent eligibility or proof of relationship documentation for domestic partnerships?
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Yes |
35.8% |
76 |
No |
58.5% |
124 |
Unsure |
5.7% |
12 |
|
answered question |
212 |
|
skipped question |
392 |
Q10. Which of the following health insurance benefits does your organization offer to spouses and domestic partners of benefits-eligible U.S. employees?
Answer Options |
Offered to spouses & domestic partners |
Offered to spouses only |
Offered to domestic partners only |
Not offered to either |
Response Count |
Health/ |
216 |
320 |
2 |
15 |
553 |
Dental |
206 |
307 |
2 |
29 |
544 |
Vision |
167 |
244 |
2 |
100 |
513 |
|
|
|
|
answered question |
554 |
|
|
|
|
skipped question |
50 |
Q11. If your organization offers health insurance benefits to spouses, are they offered to:
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Different sex spouses only |
56.1% |
310 |
Same sex spouses only |
5.1% |
28 |
Different and same sex spouses |
34.2% |
189 |
Unsure |
3.6% |
20 |
We don’t offer health insurance benefits to spouses |
1.1% |
6 |
|
answered question |
553 |
|
skipped question |
51 |
Q12. Which of the following retirement benefits does your organization offer to spouses and domestic partners of benefits-eligible U.S. employees?
Answer Options |
Offered to spouses & domestic partners |
Offered to spouses only |
Not offered to either |
Response Count |
Defined benefit plan: Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity |
34 |
135 |
345 |
514 |
Defined benefit plan: Qualified pre-retirement Survivor Annuity |
25 |
98 |
375 |
498 |
Hardship distribution option |
17 |
88 |
396 |
501 |
|
|
|
answered question |
522 |
|
|
|
skipped question |
82 |
Q13. Which of the following other benefits does your organization offer to spouses and domestic partners of benefits-eligible U.S. employees?
Answer |
Offered to spouses & domestic partners |
Offered to spouses only |
Offered to partners only |
Not offered to either |
Response Count |
FMLA |
105 |
185 |
0 |
212 |
502 |
Bereave |
137 |
138 |
1 |
227 |
503 |
Employer-provided supplemental life insurance |
58 |
194 |
1 |
241 |
494 |
Relocation/ |
29 |
54 |
0 |
406 |
489 |
Adoption |
24 |
50 |
0 |
416 |
490 |
Employee discounts |
86 |
87 |
0 |
320 |
493 |
Employee assistance program |
147 |
164 |
1 |
188 |
500 |
Access to employer facilities |
129 |
49 |
0 |
314 |
492 |
Attendance at employer events/functions |
334 |
66 |
1 |
97 |
498 |
|
|
|
|
answered question |
513 |
|
|
|
|
skipped question |
91 |
Q14. If your organization offers other benefits to spouses, are they offered to:
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Different sex spouses only |
31.7% |
161 |
Same sex spouses only |
3.9% |
20 |
Different and same sex spouses |
22.8% |
116 |
Unsure |
4.1% |
21 |
We don’t offer other benefits to spouses |
37.4% |
190 |
|
answered question |
508 |
|
skipped question |
96 |
Q15. Does your organization offer benefits to eligible dependents (for example, children) of domestic partners?
Answer Options |
Response Percent |
Response Count |
Yes to different sex partners |
34.7% |
180 |
Yes to same sex partners |
26.4% |
137 |
None offered |
48.8% |
253 |
Unsure |
10.6% |
55 |
|
answered question |
518 |
|
skipped question |
86 |
Go here for detailed breakdowns by company size, geographical region, and organization type.]
Thanks to all who participated in this survey. Upcoming topics include:
- Social Media
- Heathcare
- Flexible Work Policies
This is such a tricky situation because some employees take the lack of domestic partner benefits as evidence of homophobia, when it might well be a cost matter. And the affidavit requirement offends some employees–they say that heterosexual married couples aren’t required to provide the affidavit.