Federal domestic partner benefits have marriage equality to thank for being shown the door at the State Department. Beginning December 14, the benefits will begin to be phased out, a process that will be completed by September 2016, the Washington Blade reports:
Foreign Service personnel who are posted in a country in which same-sex couples do not have marriage rights may request up to 10 days of administrative leave in order to travel to the U.S. or another jurisdiction in which they can legally tie the knot. Unmarried heterosexual partners can also take advantage of this policy.
Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy told the Washington Blade on Monday that ending domestic partner benefits for Foreign Service personnel is a direct result of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that extended marriage rights to same-sex couples throughout the country.
