No Domestic Partner Benefits For UA Workers
By: Alex Flippin
Updated: May 11, 2007
A University of Arkansas employee says he’s been trying for over a year to receive domestic partner benefits, but the university won’t give in. Jason Springman is gay, and he says that’s why he can’t get benefits. Jason tells us the school sent him a letter explaining why. It informed him since the state doesn’t legally recognize same sex marriages; they could not grant his partner any benefits.
Jason says they did not list specific state statutes, but his research indicates that there’s more to that law….stating that even though the state doesn’t recognize same sex unions, that doesn’t prohibit them from giving benefits to domestic partners.
A university spokesperson confirmed that the school does not offer domestic partner benefits, but also said there was no one there Friday who could comment fully on the issue. Springman has joined with others at the university facing the same problem. Right now they have no plans to file a lawsuit, and say they just want to raise awareness.
