From the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (USA)

Benefits to be extended to same-gender domestic partners

At their March 3 meeting in Philadelphia, the directors of the Board of Pensions voted to extend spousal and child benefits to same-gender domestic partners of Benefits Plan members, beginning January 1, 2013. To qualify, a member will have to verify that he or she has a civil license or certificate evidencing a civil marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership from a state or foreign jurisdiction.

The directors voted on the matter after receiving a report of recommendation from the Special Committee on Domestic Partner Benefits. The committee, drawn from the board of directors, studied various issues surrounding the matter for more than a year. Study began after the 219th General Assembly (2010) approved a resolution urging the Board to extend spousal and dependent benefits to same-gender domestic partners on the same basis as it does for opposite-gender married couples.

The Board of Pensions will formally present its decision to the 220th General Assembly (2012). The directors’ vote is binding, so no further action will be needed. After making its presentation to the General Assembly, the Board will begin notifying members about enrollment details, well in advance of the January 1, 2013 effective date.

The Benefits Plan will be amended to include a new relationship definition: A qualified domestic partner "is an individual who is in a legally sanctioned same-gender union with a Member affording rights of inheritance under the laws of the jurisdiction where the union occurred." The plan’s definition of spouse will be revised to read "an individual who is legally married to a Member in a marriage that conforms to the definition of marriage in the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)."

The 219th General Assembly (2010) had authorized the Board to increase employer dues by up to 1 percent to compensate for any rise in costs connected with adding the new participants. The Board determined that a dues increase was not needed at this time, but it will continue to monitor the situation, according to Robert W. Maggs, Jr., Board president and chief executive. Because there was no immediate dues increase, the board of directors did not design a Relief of Conscience mechanism.

“The members of the Special Committee invested more than a year in discernment of this matter,” Mr. Maggs said. “It was a demanding assignment, which they accepted graciously and with the high level of commitment that it required.”

Comments

[Jimbino]

The Presbyterian rule is easily gamed.

It would be super-easy for an unmarried Amerikan couple to be recognized as being in a civil union in Brazil that normally comes with mutual inheritance rights (though those can be specifically negated).

That would afford them all the benefits from the Presbyterians.

However, if they only owned property in Texas, the inheritance rules of Brazil would be null and void, as Texas (along with most states) does not recognize civil unions, even those performed in other states, let alone foreign countries. And Brazil has no jurisdiction over inheritance of Texas property by Texans.

It's sad that Amerikans stand to gain more, in general, by learning to game the system than by actually working.

[Jimbino]

That opposite sex partners must be married means that the Presbyterians continue to discriminate against persons on the basis of sex. Why can't they get over it?

[Taryn Mattice]

Opposite sex partners must be married.

[Jimbino]

So they extended benefits to persons in same-sex civil unions. Does that mean they are still discriminating against persons in opposite sex civil unions?