The Cost of Marriage Equality

Now that same-sex marriage will become legal in Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic is requiring that Minnesota employees who receive benefits in same-sex partnerships get married. This is the same rule that the Mayo Clinic and other employers apply to opposite-sex pairings [bold added]:

"Mayo has long had a policy providing same-sex domestic partner benefits because those affected were not allowed to be married. That policy notes that marriage would be required if same-sex marriage became legal in the state where the couple lives," [spokesman Bryan] Anderson said in a statement.

There are a few voices in favor of retaining special treatment. Paul Guequierre of the Human Rights campaign:

"We have heard companies consider doing this. We have not heard of any companies that have actually done this and from our perspective it is a bad idea to require them to marry," he said.