Last week, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced the Equal Access to COBRA Act of 2010 (S. 3182) which would permit many same-sex spouses or domestic partners to take advantage of COBRA continuation health coverage if their partner loses a job.  The Act would allow equal access to COBRA coverage for all individuals who are covered by an employer’s health plan, and would apply to domestic partners as they are defined by that plan.  As COBRA law currently stands, continuation coverage does not apply to domestic partners or same-sex spouses, even if the employee who was let go worked at a company that offered health coverage to domestic partners.  Continue reading about the proposed legislation at Littler's D.C. Employment Law Update blog.

Photo credit:  Ryerson Clark