Employees of the University System of Georgia will be able to enroll same-sex spouses in benefit plans beginning July 13, according to an update posted Tuesday on the system's website.
The policy updates follow the Supreme Court's decision last month legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states. Georgia had been one of 13 states banning same-sex marriage prior to the ruling.
The effective coverage date will be backdated to June 26 — the date of the court ruling — or July 1 for same-sex marriages that occurred June 26 or earlier. Employees will have until Sept. 1 to register the change and provide necessary documentation.
There is no estimate of the number of employees who would be affected by the updated benefits policies, a University System spokesman told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Employees marrying same-sex spouses after June 26 will be able to enroll their spouses for benefits by filing a family status change, the traditional method already used for system benefits plans.
Some of the University System’s 30 schools offer voluntary benefits, such as dental and vision insurance to domestic partners of employees, but did not offer health insurance benefits that traditionally married couples receive.
More information on the updated policies is expected on the University System’s human resources website on July 13.
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