Employee Matters
Benefit coverage for domestic partners
What benefits does the university offer to the domestic partners of UW–Madison employees?
Once an employee has established a domestic partnership, the partner is eligible for coverage under the following employee benefit plans:
- individual and family group life insurance
- accidental death and dismemberment insurance (AD&D)
- Spectera vision care insurance
- DentalBlue dental insurance
- Employee Reimbursement Accounts (ERA) — they are eligible if the domestic partner receives more than half of his/her financial support from the UW–Madison employee and resides with the employee.
If covering a domestic partner under Spectera or DentalBlue, the premiums cannot be taken on a pretax basis.
Why are domestic partners eligible only for some of the insurance benefit plans?
The plans are administered by governing authorities and have different rules and regulations. For example, the authority for the state group health insurance plan is with the Department of Employee Trust Funds and is governed by Wisconsin statutes. The statutes do not allow coverage for domestic partners. For a complete listing of governing authorities and which plans offer domestic partner benefits, find domestic partner information at Domestic Partner Benefits (PDF).
How does an employee establish a domestic partnership for purposes of benefits eligibility?
To be eligible for insurance coverage as a domestic partner, the employee and his/her partner must be in an established domestic partnership of at least six months and must meet the criteria set forth in the Domestic Partner Affidavit (UWS-50). A domestic partner may be of the same or opposite sex.
When must the affidavit be submitted?
The affidavit is required for enrollment in any insurance and/or the ERA program and must be completed and submitted to the Office of Human Resources (OHR) when submitting applicable enrollment forms. Initial and special deadlines for enrollment must still be met.
What if my partnership terminates?
A Statement of Termination (UWS-51) must be completed and submitted to OHR along with the applicable insurance and ERA cancellation forms.
Are domestic partners eligible for any other benefits/services on campus?
Yes. Other services available include University Housing, recreational sports facilities, dual-career couple program, Student Health Insurance Plan, University Health Services, UW Athletics and libraries.
The UW–Madison Declaration of Domestic Partnership Form should be submitted to establish these other benefits/services. Additional information, including the form and the complete UW–Madison Domestic Partnership policy can be located at Domestic Partnership policy.
For more information, contact a benefits specialist.