Regulations for Same-Sex Partners of LGBT Foreign Affairs Employees
GLIFAA applauds President Obama, Secretary Clinton, and other agency leaders for their actions in moving to extend benefits to both same-sex domestic partners of federal employees, as well as children of those partners.
GLIFAA thanks our many friends and allies who were part of making this change possible. Read GLIFAA President Bob Gilchrist's remarks from a thank-you toast at the State Department on August 5, 2009. (pdf)
Read the news of the announcement itself, as well as the reaction by GLIFAA and other organizations:
- GLIFAA Press Release
- Secretary Clinton's Statement on Expanded Benefits
- Coverage and Organization Statements
The State Department has now implemented the policy guidlines for domestic partner benefits. See the cable below as well as the changes to the FAM. This a historic change!
June 2010 Memorandum
President Obama reaffirmed these regulatory changes and released a presidential memorandum on June 2, 2010. This memorandum instructs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to extend certain benefits to the same-sex partners of LGBT employees and instructs OPM to ensure that any new benefits be extended to partners to the extent permitted by law.
- Read the full text of the memorandum here.
- The President's June 2009 statement on domestic partner benefits for federal employees.
- Reaction from The Advocate
- News in The Washington Post
Agency Policies
Several agencies have implemented new policies following these guidelines. Read their announcements and guidelines below.
Department of State
- Cable implementing benefits
- FAM Revisions implementing benefits
- Affidavit declaring domestic partner relationship (pdf)
- Cable Outlining Revisions to the DSSR
- July 2009 Cable Announcing Revisions to the Policy
Other Agencies
- USAID extends benefits to partners of their direct-hire employees as well as to Personal Services Contractors (USPSCs). Employee Policy. PSC Policy. (pdf)
- Department of Justice. Memo announcing new benefits. (pdf) Detailed summary of new benefits. (pdf)
- Peace Corps
- Foreign Agricultural Service (pdf)
Further Questions
If you have questions, please work with Human Resources Officers at post, or in Washington through personnel technicians, CDOs, and others as appropriate. This may be an education process for them just as it is for GLIFAA members, but it is important that we try to work through the system to help make it function.
Queries for State personnel that cannot be answered through regular channels can be directed through "Ask Admin" intranet site at http://askadmin.a.state.gov or through the "Ask HR" site at http://askhr.hr.state.gov . Questions for which there is not already a pre-written answer on either site can be addressed through the "submit a question" function. State Personnel can also send Questions/concerns directly to the Director General's office through an email to "DG Direct" at dgdirect@state.gov
The GLIFAA board asks that those questions that can't be answered through other avenues -- or which present broader issues to be addressed -- be sent to glifaa@glifaa.org. We also seek comments from members on how smoothly the process moves for them at posts and in Washington.
