The first is in regards to a Supreme Court ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The court ruled that benefits must be extended to same sex couples if the state they reside in recognizes same sex marriages. What is unclear is how that applies in states that do not recognize same sex marriages. Even more unclear is if a same sex couple gets married in a state that recognizes same sex marriages but lives and works in a state that does not. Since the ruling on DOMA focuses on benefits, like health insurance or 401(k) plans, you should contact the administrator of those benefits and ask about the criteria they have set. Then update your employee handbook to match their advice.
