January 22, 2014
By Andy Reid, Sun Sentinel
Palm
Beach County Clerk and Comptroller Sharon Bock has enacted a new “tax
equity” policy aimed at preventing gay, lesbian and other unmarried
employees from facing a federal tax penalty on health insurance for
their partners.
The change in policy reimburses
unmarried employees with registered domestic partners for the additional
federal income taxes they have to pay when accepting county health
benefits for their partners.
The federal government doesn’t equate an unmarried
domestic partner to a spouse and as a result clerk employees whose
unmarried domestic partners get county-provided health benefits face
paying taxes on those benefits.
“This is a fairness
issue,” Bock said. “I want to ensure our employees are treated equally.
That means employees with domestic partners should not have to pay more
for their insurance coverage than their married colleagues who cover
their spouses’ health insurance.”
Other branches of
county government, including the Property Appraiser’s Office, Tax
Collector’s Office and County Commission-controlled departments have
also enacted tax equity policies.
Domestic
partnership registries are aimed at establishing rights and financial
benefits for couples that are either not allowed to marry or choose not
to get married. Domestic partnerships can be established by both same-sex and opposite-sex couples.
The Clerk’s office has been offering domestic partner benefits to employees since 2004.
The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council for years has pushed for more domestic partnership benefits and for ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
