The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a notice to share available

information for federal employees regarding same-sex domestic partners'

eligibility for benefits and leave.

FLTCIP

OPM stated they are working on regulations to add same-sex domestic partners

of federal and U.S. Postal Service employees and annuitants as qualified

relatives eligible to apply for coverage under the Federal Long Term Care

Insurance Program (FLTCIP).  Until the regulations are effective, same-sex

domestic partners cannot apply for coverage under the FLTCIP. 

 
The proposed regulations, acccording to OPM, will be published in

the Federal Register this summer, allowing a 30 day public comment period. 

OPM will review those comments and issue final regulations as soon as possible

thereafter. 
 
Leave

OPM also plans to issue proposed regulations in the near future to modify its

definitions of "family member" and "immediate relative" for purposes related to

the use of sick leave, funeral leave, voluntary leave transfer, voluntary leave

bank, and emergency leave transfer. 
 
Specifically, OPM stated

they are adding new definitions of "son and daughter", "parent", and "domestic

partner".  According to OPM, this proposal will help ensure that agencies

are administering leave consistently for a diverse workforce and providing the

broadest support possible to help employees balance their increasing work,

personal, and family obligations. 
 
The proposed regulations

on leave will be published in the Federal Register, allowing a 60 day public

comment period.  OPM will review those comments and issue final regulations

as soon as possible thereafter. 
 
FEHB, FEGLI, FEDVIP,

FSAFEDS

Same-sex domestic partner coverage cannot be extended under the FEHB, FEGLI,

FEDVIP or FSAFEDS programs without legislation.  Therefore the Presidential

memorandum does not affect those programs.
 
Reference

Materials

target=_blank>The Presidential memorandum
href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-by-the-President-on-the-Presidential-Memorandum-on-Federal-Benefits-and-Non-Discrimination-and-Support-of-the-Lieberman-Baldwin-Benefits-Legislation/"

target=_blank>The Presidential statement
href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-the-Signing-of-a-Presidential-Memorandum-Regarding-Federal-Benefits-and-Non-Discrimination/"

target=_blank>The remarks about the memorandum