Most Illinois state officials already offer same-sex domestic partnership benefits to their employees, on par with those extended to state treasury employees by Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias' recent executive order, according to the State Journal-Register.
The June 13 executive order allows gay and lesbian treasury employees to take time off in relation to the medical needs of their same-sex partners, in line with the rights of heterosexual employees under the Family Medical Leave Act. The department has 180 employees total.
If you're in a committed domestic partnership and would like more information about what this means legally, you might consider meeting with an Illinois family lawyer.
Although many have praised the move by Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic candidate for US Senate, others say it's not necessary since most of the state's other offices already offer such benefits. Critics, of course, claim the candidate is merely playing politics.
Not to be outdone, Gov. Pat Quinn spokeswoman Annie Thompson said the state house is "evaluating all of its options" and may extend same-sex benefits to all of the more more than 53,300 employees under the governor's jurisdiction.
Other departments that extend benefits to same-sex partners include the Illinois Dept. of Central Management Services, which it did in 2006; Comptroller Dan Hyne's office; and Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office.
Even Gov. Rod Blagojevich extended same-sex domestic partner benefits by way of executive order to non-bargaining unit employees four years ago.
And while Secretary of State Jesse White has not made changes granting FMLA rights to same-sex partners of employees, spokesman Dave Drukker said the department plans to monitor how well Alexi Giannoulas' executive order goes first:
"[We will] see how their results go and see how the leave works. [White] is a big believer in equality."
Related Resources:
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Domestic Partnership Benefits (FindLaw)
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Find an Illinois Family Law Attorney (FindLaw)
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Domestic Partnership or Civil Union: "Everything but Marriage" Considered by States like Washington (FindLaw's Common Law Blog)
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