Article 32-5 |

Civil Unions and Qualified Domestic Partners |

Partners in a civil union or qualified domestic partners of bargaining unit employees are entitled to the same benefits as are available to the spouses of bargaining unit employees.

To be eligible for coverage as qualified domestic partners, bargaining unit employees must complete and file with the BOARD an affidavit of domestic partnership in which they attest as follows:

  1. they are each other’s sole domestic partner, responsible for each other’s common welfare; and
  2. neither party is married; and
  3. the partners are not related by blood closer than would bar marriage in the State of Illinois; and
  4. each partner is the same sex and resides at the same residence; and
  5. two of the following four conditions exist for the partners:
     
    1. the partners have been residing together for at least twelve months prior to filing the affidavit of domestic partnership.
    2. the partners have common or joint ownership of a residence.
    3. the partners have at least two of the following arrangements:
       
      1. joint ownership of a motor vehicle;
      2. a joint credit account;
      3. a joint checking account;
      4. a lease for a residence identifying both domestic partners as tenants.
    4. the bargaining unit employee declares that the domestic partner is identified as a primary beneficiary in the bargaining unit employee’s will.
Any change in the circumstances which have been attested to in the documents qualifying an individual as a domestic partner must be provided to the BOARD within sixty days of said change.

A minimum of twelve months must elapse before a bargaining unit employee may designate a new domestic partner.


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