Same-sex marriage extended nationwide

In 2014, same-sex marriage was legalized in Indiana after a federal judge found the state’s gay marriage ban unconstitutional, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed and the Supreme Court of the United States declined to take the appeal involving the Indiana ruling. Then on June 26, in a 5-4 decision, SCOTUS held that couples have the right to marry anywhere in the U.S.

With same-sex marriage now legal, businesses and the government had to offer the same benefits to gay couples that opposite-sex couples received. The Justice Department announced that it would work to make sure that all federal benefits will be available equally to married couples across the country. With marriage being legal for all, some companies and organizations, such as Indiana University, began phasing out domestic partner benefits, while others expanded their benefit packages to include same- and opposite-sex couples.

Cummins, Dow Chemical Co., which has its subsidiary Dow ArgoSciences in Indiana, and Eli Lilly and Co. offer benefits for non-married partners, regardless of gender.

Eskenazi Health had expanded its benefits even more by providing insurance to an employee’s designated adult, enabling siblings, parents, another adult living in the household, and unmarried partners to be covered. Once the employee provides proof that the adult is living in the same household and has no access to employer health care, benefits will be extended under the health system’s family plan.

Some attorneys said companies that continue to offer benefits to unmarried same-sex couples but do not include unmarried opposite-sex couples could open themselves to discrimination lawsuits. In addition, entities that have self-funded benefit plans could get served with a discrimination complaint if they do not include same-sex couples in their coverage.•