The White House has sent out some more information on this evening's memorandum from Obama on benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.
Today's memorandum, which Obama will sign in the Oval Office, comes after a review by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management John Berry and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of what benefits might be offered to the same-sex partners of federal employees in the civil service and the
foreign service within the confines of existing federal laws and
statutes.
Berry and Clinton conducted internal reviews, according to the White House, and identified these benefits:
"For civil service employees, domestic partners of federal employees can
be added to the long-term care insurance program; supervisors can also
be required to allow employees to use their sick leave to take care of
domestic partners and non-biological, non-adopted children. For
foreign service employees, a number of benefits were identified,
including the use of medical facilities at posts abroad, medical
evacuation from posts abroad, and inclusion in family size for housing
allocations."
The memorandum Obama will sign will direct Berry and Clinton to oversee implementation of these benefits. Guidance is to be issued within 90 days by the OPM to all executive departments and agencies.
