Civil Union Law – Adding Civil Union Partners to Health Benefit Plans

Monday, December 19, 2011

On January 1, 2012, the Hawaii State Civil Unions Law will take effect, allowing individuals to legally enter into civil union partnerships.  The law will provide individuals in civil unions with legal rights to similar benefits received by married couples. The RCUH will be updating policies affected by the change on/by January 1, 2012.

 

HEALTH BENEFITS PLANS:  With this change in law, employees will be able to cover their civil union partners and civil union partner’s dependents under their RCUH health plans (i.e., medical and/or dental plans).  The RCUH Health Benefits Plan Year is from July 1 through June 30.  Thus, similar to marriage, those entering in civil unions “mid-year” may request to enroll their civil union partner and/or civil union partner’s dependent(s), provided the appropriate documents/forms are submitted within 30 days following the effective date of the civil union (i.e., qualifying event).  Upon receipt of the documents/forms, the RCUH will enroll the employee’s civil union partner/child(ren), accordingly.  The following are procedures in enrolling your civil union partner and/or civil union partner’s children:

 

  1. COMPLETE Parts A, B, and G of the RCUH Group Benefits Enrollment/Change Application Form (Form B-5)

 

  1. ATTACH a copy of your Civil Union Certificate issued by the State of Hawaii-Department of Health

 

  1. (IF APPLICABLE)  Complete & Notarize the Affidavit of Dependency for Tax Purposes form only if your civil union partner qualifies as your dependent for tax purposes for your federal income tax withholding, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service.  If not completed/submitted, we will conclude that your partner does not qualify as your dependent under the IRS, and premiums charged will be included as imputed income. 

 

  1. SUBMIT Form B-5 (required), Civil Union Certificate (required), and Affidavit of Dependency for Tax Purposes (optional) to the RCUH Human Resources Department at:

 

Mail:    2530 Dole Street, Sakamaki Hall D-100

            Honolulu, HI  96822

 

Fax:     (808) 956-5022

 

Email:  [email protected] 

 

RCUH forms will be available for downloaded from the RCUH 3.520 Health Plan Policy on the www.rcuh.com website.

 

           

Additional RCUH policies to be updated effective January 1, 2012:

 

  1. 3.660 RCUH Family Leave Policy – Under the Hawaii State Family Leave law, eligible employees are provided up to four (4) weeks of leave for the purposes of caring for a “Family Member” with a serious medical condition.  Family members will include employees’ civil union partners and their civil union partner’s children. 

 

  1. 3.670 RCUH Bereavement (Funeral) Leave Policy – Eligible employees are provided up to three (3) days of paid leave due to the loss of their “Immediate Family Members”.  Immediate family members will include civil union partners and civil union partner’s children/parents. 

 

  1. 3.678 RCUH Administrative Leave for Parent-Teacher Conference – Eligible employees are provided up to two (2) hours of paid leave for the purposes of attending their child’s parent-teacher conference.  “Child” will include the employee’s civil union partner’s children. 

 

If you have any questions regarding the changes in benefits, please contact Jill Niitani, Senior Human Resources/Employee Benefits & Systems Manager at (808) 956-8376 or [email protected].