Domestic Partnership Protections

The Case for DP Protections
Why Change Your Policy
FAQs about DP Benefits
WI Employers with DP Benefits
Madison & MKE DP Registration

The Case for DP Protections

Domestic Partnerships

The term "domestic partners" refers to a committed same-sex couple who is currently barred from marrying.  These are two people who share each other's lives, support each other emotionally and financially, and sometimes raise chidren together.

What are Domestic Partnership Protections?

Domestic partnership protections are a proposed set of limited legal protections that would be provided to same-sex committed couples in Wisconsin.  They would provide protections such as requiring hospitals and nursing homes to allow visitation for domestic partners, the ability to make end of life decisions for a domestic partner if he or she is unable to, and permitting family leave in the event of the death or serious illness of a domestic partner.

The Need for Domestic Partnerships

As of 2005, there are approximately 15,000 gay or lesbian couples living in Wisconsin.  They live in every county in Wisconsin, are racially and ethnically diverse, have partners that depend upon one another financially, and actively participate in Wisconsin's economy.

However, same-sex couples have fewer economic resources to provide for their families than do their married counterparts: they have lower household incomes and lower rates of home ownership.

Broad Public Support

Three quarters of Wisconsin voters support some form of legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples.*  They agree that a committed couple should be able to take care of each other.

Benefits Packages that Include Domestic Partners: A Mainstream Business Practice

Domestic partner benefits are a common feature of employee compensation packages at companies in Wisconsin and across the United States. Thousands of companies nationwide recognize that offering these benefits gives them a competitive edge in recruiting the most qualified, talented workers. But offering domestic partner benefits is not just a good business decision, it’s the fair thing to do.

Who offers domestic partnership benefits?

• Over 9,000 employers nationwide now offer equal benefits. See the Human Rights Campaign for a comprehensive list.
• Over 150 Wisconsin employers.
• 265 companies in the Fortune 500.
• Diverse Wisconsin companies from construction firms like Edward Kraemer (based in Plain), manufacturers like Procter & Gamble (Green Bay), major law firms like Foley & Lardner, and hi-tech companies like Epic Systems.
• The cities of Milwaukee, Madison, and the County of Dane have Domestic Partner registries.

What are Domestic Partnership Benefits?

In the private sector, domestic partnership benefits primarily comprise those benefits made available to the spouses or heterosexual emplyees, particularly health insurance coverage (though these benefits can include life insurance, bereavement or sick leave, etc.). This resource focuses on health insurance coverage for domestic partners.

The private sector has consistently led the way in acknowledging the reality of gay and lesbian family lives and other nontraditional families. Companies began offering domestic partner benefits in 1982. In 1992, Lotus Development Corp. (now a division of IBM), became the first publicly traded company to offer the benefits. Since that time, thousands more companies have extended equal benefits. And the number of these companies grows every month.

Increasingly government employers are catching up with the private sector because they too find that offering equal benefits helps them attract and retain talented employees. Thirteen states, including Illinois and Iowa, as well as over 230 municipal employers now offer the benefits.

*Based on a survey of 600 Wisconsin voters conducted between January 14 and 18, 2009.