Is a civil union recognized in federal employment benefits?

No, civil unions are not currently recognized in federal employment benefits in Arkansas. Arkansas does not allow for same-sex marriages or civil unions, and therefore, civil union partners are not eligible for the same employment benefits as married partners. Federal law generally considers only marriages between opposite-sex couples as eligible for federal employee benefits. Recent years have seen some movement on this issue. In 2019, a bill was introduced in the Arkansas state legislature which proposed providing civil unions to same-sex couples. The bill called for civil unions to be recognized in state law, along with providing the same rights and benefits as those already provided to married couples. However, the bill did not pass which means civil unions remain unrecognized in federal employment benefits in Arkansas. Additionally, although same-sex marriages have been legally recognized in Arkansas since 2015, these marriages do not entitle couples to any federal employment benefits due to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which states that the federal government cannot recognize same-sex marriages. Therefore, until the Arkansas state legislature further addresses civil union rights, they will remain unrecognized.

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Is a civil union recognized in federal employment benefits?

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