Does your company offer domestic partner benefits?

For some firms, the decision (pro or con) is a matter of principle. For others, it’s strictly a risk-versus-reward business decision.  Currently, 269 of the Fortune 500 companies provide domestic partner benefits. The rate is lower for smaller companies, higher for public employers in states that permit such benefits.

The firms that offer such coverage typically report a strong ROI in terms of recruiting and retention. It’s one part of a benefits package that weighs just as heavily as salary in why interested employees or job seekers choose to work for a specific employer.

Keep in mind that domestic partner benefits policies come in different varieties: coverage for opposite sex partners only, same sex partners only or coverage for both. A study shows 58% of private companies offering domestic partner benefits extend them both to same- and opposite-sex unmarried couples.

As long as your company enforces the policy consistently, there’s rarely anything to worry about from a HIPAA non-discrimination standpoint.