Sick leave for domestic partners advances at Capitol

Two proposals aimed at providing domestic partners the ability to take time off to care for sick loved ones passed key committees this week. The bills have raised some controversy because both bills would work to the benefit of same-sex couples and provide a modest amount of fairness in state employment.

An amendment to a state government appropriations bill would give state employees the right to take unpaid sick leave to visit a "significant other" in times of illness or disability for up to five days each year. Controversy abounds, however, with the definition of "significant other."

The legislation would define the term as:

a person who has entered into a committed interdependent relationship with another adult, where the adults: are responsible for each other's basic common welfare; share a common residence and intend to do so indefinitely; are not related by blood or adoption to an extent that would prohibit marriage in this state; and are legally competent and qualified to enter into a contract.

Typically collective bargaining would establish benefits for state employees, but when an agreement was reached several years ago that included a sick leave benefit for those who otherwise could not marry or be defined as "spouses" under state law, it was stripped out by the governor.

Kahn's amendment passed the State State Government Finance Division Committee.

Rep. Neva Walker, DFL-Minneapolis, proposed a standalone bill that directs all businesses that employ 21 or more people to provide sick leave benefits. The bill would allow an employee to use his or her own sick time to care for his or her child, spouse, sibling, parent, grandparent, stepparent or domestic partner.

Walker's bill passed the State Government Finance Division Committee.