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Law firm enhances domestic partner policy
A national law firm based in Milwaukee has amended its domestic partnership policy to eliminate the additional costs that same-sex couples can face for health care insurance.
Quarles & Brady LLP, which employs 425 attorneys in Wisconsin, Illinois, Arizona, Florida and China, announced the policy change in early March.
Generally, because of U.S. tax laws, health insurance coverage costs more for domestic partners than married couples. The firm, in a press statement, said that in order to address the “inequitable” situation, it had started providing a salary “gross up” to reimburse domestic partnered employees.
“I am very proud of the firm’s ongoing efforts to maintain an inclusive environment as it pertains to race, gender and sexual orientation,” said partner George Marek. “That is the goal of our new policy and one that we feel is both necessary and fair.”