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Domestic
Partner Policy
Domestic Partners are two adults who have chosen to
share one another's lives in an intimate and committed
relationship of mutual caring. The County of Santa Barbara
includes qualified domestic partners and their children
under the definition of “eligible dependents”
for its medical and dental plans. Both same gender and
opposite gender partners are eligible for this benefits.
A more specific description of domestic partner benefits
is shown on the “Registered Domestic Partnership
Benefits Chart.”
For the 2008-09 Open Enrollment Period: If you have already submitted the forms below, you do not need to refile them during this open enrollment period.
In order to be eligible, employees and their domestic
partners must complete and file the following documents
with the HR – Employee Benefits Division:
| 1. |
Affidavit or Declaration
of Domestic Partnership, available from either
the City of Santa Barbara, the County of Santa Barbara
or the State of California. Contact information
is listed below. All registrations require a filing
fee, |
| 2. |
HR
- Employee Benefits Division’s Declaration
of Domestic Partnership (required since
each agency has different requirements), |
| 3. |
Enrollment forms
for medical and dental (if desired) plan coverage
under same plan as employee. |
In part, the HR - Employee Benefits Division’s
Declaration testifies that the domestic partners must:
• |
Reside together and share the common necessities
of life, and |
• |
Not be married to anyone, and |
• |
Be at least 18 years of age, and |
• |
Are each other's sole domestic partner, intend
to remain so indefinitely and are responsible for
each others common welfare, and |
• |
Have not filed a Statement of Termination of Domestic
Partnership within the last 6 months. |
Please note: In most cases, COBRA coverage is not available
to the non-employee domestic partner. COBRA coverage,
however, would be available to the domestic partner’s
dependent if they are also a dependent of the employee.
Tax treatment of deductions:
| • |
Under the tax codes, domestic partners do not
receive the same tax treatment as married couples.
Therefore, domestic partners are not considered
qualified dependents for pre-tax deductions on their
health insurance with one exception shown next.
If you already have two or more dependents, there
is no additional tax for adding a domestic partner. |
| • |
The State of California now recognizes health
care premiums and expenses for domestic partners
as deductible health care expenses. If
an employee registers with their same gender
partner through the State of California, there are
no state taxes or S.D.I. on the premiums.
Federal taxes and F.I.C.A., however, will still
be applied to these premiums. If either domestic
partner is over the age of 62 and qualifies for
old-age Social Security benefits, then the partner
may be of the opposite gender |
Within 30 days of registration, you may add your domestic
partner to your medical and dental coverage. If enrollment
is not made within those 30 days, you may enroll your
domestic partner during the annual open enrollment period,
usually in June. Your enrollment will become effective
the first of the following pay period after the date
on the certificate. Newly hired employees may enroll
their domestic partner within 30 days of their hire
date. As with other dependents, your domestic partner
must be enrolled on your medical plan to be eligible
for dental coverage.
Registration agencies:
State of California:
Description of Domestic Partner Policy, Declaration
and Termination forms are available on the web at: http://www.ss.ca.gov/business/sf/sf_dp.htm
State forms are also available at the Santa Barbara
County Clerk’s Offices at: 1100 Anacapa St., Santa
Barbara, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria and 401
E. Cypress St., Lompoc.
County of Santa Barbara:
In person at: 1100 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara,
511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria and 401 E. Cypress
St., Lompoc.
City of Santa Barbara: In
person at: City Clerk's Office, 735 Anacapa Street,
Santa Barbara, California (564-5309).
If you have any questions concerning this coverage,
please contact the Employee Benefits Division at 568-2818/2814.
Click
here for HR - Employee Benefits Division ’s Declaration
of Domestic Partnership Form
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