DEATH AND TAXES

Ivy League Schools Reimburse LGBT Employees For Health Care Burden

Ivy League universities Columbia and Yale are doing something to boost their reputations even further in 2012—at least among the LGBT community: They’re going to start reimbursing gay employees who are taxed when their partners sign onto their health insurance.

Both Connecticut and New York have same-sex marriage laws but since they’re not recognized by the federal government (thanks DOMA!) legally married gay and lesbian couples are still treated like single people.

According to The New York Times, Columbia will pay eligible employees with same-sex partners $1,000 over the course of a year, while Yale will pay $1,500 a year.

It’s not a perfect plan—Yale will only cover the tax for employees whose spouses can’t get healthcare elsewhere, and Columbia is currently only offering the deal to nonunion salaried employees—but given the cost of medical care these days, “better than nothing” is an understatement.

Want to know which major companies also offer tax reimbursements for health care? The Times made a handy list.

Images via Nita Lind, Plong

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