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[milkman]

I am considering working at a state institution in Maryland that provides health coverage to employees through the state health and pension plan.  I have a same-sex partner who does not carry his own health insurance.  The Maryland benefits handbook states explicitly that benefits can only be provided to an opposite-sex wife or husband.  Do universities in the state find some way of getting around this?  Wanted to check here first before I have to make a big deal of my private life with the department chair...
Thank you.

[kedves]

Is this college part of the University System of Maryland?  I was curious to find an answer to your question, but couldn't locate it on the website.  Maybe you can; here is the link:  http://www.usmd.edu/regents/bylaws/SectionII/  The family medical leave policy specifies spouses and dependent children.  Call Human Resources.  Here is the phone number from the FAQs section:

     I am a USM employee or prospective employee and I have a question about pay, benefits, job classification, etc.
     Please contact the USM Human Resources Office at 301.445.1968.

[systeme_d_]

When I was on the market, domestic partner benefits were a priority for me.  This was years ago.

Back then, I discovered that when a university did not explicitly and clearly offer them, they were not available.  State universities in particular are constrained by various policies.

I ended up taking a position at a state U without benefits, but before taking the job, I learned that the fight for benefits had been going on for years, and benefits would very likely soon be extended.  Two years later, they were made available. 

This is a current list (as far as I can tell) of colleges and universities that offer DPBs.   Maryland is not on it.

http://www.buddybuddy.com/d-p-col.html

[mended_drum]

To clarify a bit, OP, your chair will not have the power to do anything about health benefits except and unless he or she can get a full-time position with the university for your partner, so that he or she obtains benefits that way.  Were it me, I would approach human resources, but also put out feelers for employees in a similar situation who might be able to give you some suggestions for how they're making things work.

[seniorscholar]

This is a current list (as far as I can tell) of colleges and universities that offer DPBs.   Maryland is not on it.
http://www.buddybuddy.com/d-p-col.html

I don't know about Maryland, but I do know that the list is not up to date. My large public university started offering full benefits, including health insurance, to domestic partners, in 2002 (after a ten years' struggle). It's not on the list.

[popcorn_pimp]

The Milkman has a same sex partner? No wonder he never married mama!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Back to your serious and worthy discussion.

[charlesr]

Your chair would have no say in the matter.  You'd have speak to HR.  My guess is that they have no room for flexibility.

[kedves]

The Milkman has a same sex partner? No wonder he never married mama!

My mother's next-door neighbor in 1940s small-town Midwesternville actually did leave her husband to run off with the milkman. 

From what I've been able to find, the Human Rights Campaign Worknet database might be the most comprehensive and up-to-date.  There is a "Colleges and Universities" section.

[aandsdean]

When I was on the market, domestic partner benefits were a priority for me.  This was years ago.

Back then, I discovered that when a university did not explicitly and clearly offer them, they were not available.  State universities in particular are constrained by various policies.

I ended up taking a position at a state U without benefits, but before taking the job, I learned that the fight for benefits had been going on for years, and benefits would very likely soon be extended.  Two years later, they were made available. 

This is a current list (as far as I can tell) of colleges and universities that offer DPBs.   Maryland is not on it.

http://www.buddybuddy.com/d-p-col.html

For the record, both my current institution and my previous one offered partner benefits on the same terms as they did to married people, and neither one of them is on this list.

[collegekidsmom]

My uni. offers full benefits to same sex partners and it is not on the list either. One that I know for a fact allows full benefits is listed on "problems" list. So, check with HR to be sure.

[kedves]

There are two lists on this thread, so if there is a known problem with the HRC.org list, please let me know and I will not post it on future threads. 

[aandsdean]

There are two lists on this thread, so if there is a known problem with the HRC.org list, please let me know and I will not post it on future threads. 

One of my two is on there, the other isn't.  But it's clearly more comprehensive than the other list.

[seniorscholar]

There are two lists on this thread, so if there is a known problem with the HRC.org list, please let me know and I will not post it on future threads. 

My university is on the HRC.org list (which is, however, tricky to navigate) but not on the other one.

[michigander]

My university is on neither list and has some domestic partner benefits (the important ones like health insurance, dental insurance, vision coverage, and tuition support) but not the less important ones (like optional life insurance).  My same-sex domestic partner is receiving health, dental, and vision benefits.