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U Florida Drops Sex Requirement For Gay Benefits


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U Florida Drops Sex Requirement For Gay Benefits

by Fidel Ortega, 365Gay.com Miami Bureau

Posted: January 25, 2006 - 9:00 pm ET

(Gainesville, Florida) A requirement that same-sex couples swear they are in "a non-platonic" relationship in order to enroll for health benefits has been dropped by the University of Florida.

Last month the university became the state's only public university to approve a benefits plan for its partnered unmarried workers. (story) The plan is scheduled to go into effect in February.

Married employees have long been able to insure their spouses.

Some gay and lesbian employees of the Gainesville school objected to the requirement. The issues exploded last week at a meeting of the university Senate. (story)

One student senator asked how the university would police the requirement.

Tuesday Kyle Cavanaugh, U Florida's vice president for human resources, removed the "non-platonic relationship" requirement the school's newspaper, The Alligator reports.

Cavanaugh said that it was never the university's intent to probe into the sex lives of domestic partners. He said that the remaining criteria should be enough to define the employee's relationship.

Couples applying for inclusion in the health care plan must show they cohabitate and have share financial obligations.

Following the university's announcement that it would begin offering the health insurance plan a Republican lawmaker announced legislation to block state universities and community colleges from using taxpayer's money for same-sex domestic partner benefits. (story)

Rep. Larry Cretul said his bill would not prevent the schools from using private funds to pay for the benefits.

©365Gay.com 2006

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