From Reuters:
Wal-Mart is the single biggest U.S. employer
outside of the federal government. More than half of its 1.3 million
U.S. employees are on its health-care plans. The company said it does
not know how many workers would use either of the new benefits.
Wal-Mart's extension of health insurance
to domestic partners comes after the U.S. Supreme Court in June forced
the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages in states where
it is legal. The Supreme Court also paved the way for same-sex marriage
in California.
"Since we operate in
all 50 states, we thought it was important to develop a single
definition for all Wal-Mart associates in the U.S.," spokesman David
Tovar said.
Employees' domestic
partners can be covered if they are legal spouses, not legally
separated; or a domestic partner of same or opposite gender in an
ongoing, exclusive relationship similar to marriage for at least 12
months with the intention to continue sharing a household indefinitely,
he said.
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