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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 5, 2004 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: Benefits for Domestic Partners — Implementation and Personnel Ordinance <br />Revisions <br />DEPARTMENT: Personnel <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />1 — Draft Personnel Ordinance Revisions <br />2 - Declaration of Domestic Partner <br />Status <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Elaine Holmes, Personnel Director, <br />Extension 2550 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough <br />732 -8181 <br />Chapel Hill <br />968 -4501 <br />Durham <br />688 -7331 <br />Mebane <br />336 -227 -2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider and adopt the implementing policy to provide County employee <br />benefits for domestic partners effective January 1, 2005. <br />BACKGROUND: At the Board of Commissioners' September 21, 2004, the Board adopted <br />benefits for domestic partners and the implementing policy in principal and -asked that staff <br />bring this agenda item back to the October 5, 2004 Board meeting with clarification as to the <br />meaning of some of the language included in the North Carolina Association of County <br />Commissioners Health Insurance Trust policy requirements. This information is provided below <br />under "NCACC Health Insurance Trust Language Clarifications." <br />This follows the Board of Commissioners' decision at its November 2003 employee pay and <br />benefits work session to provide benefits for domestic partners with the County's health <br />insurance renewal effective January 1, 2005. The approved 2004 -05 budget included funds <br />($10,500) to implement this coverage. <br />This agenda abstract provides for the Board's consideration the implementing policy to make <br />this coverage effective January 1, 2005. This implementing policy includes the definition of <br />domestic partner, the benefits to be provided with such coverage and the necessary Personnel <br />Ordinance revisions. Staff will offer this coverage during the upcoming benefits open <br />enrollment period for 2005 scheduled to begin in mid - October. <br />Domestic Partner Definition <br />The County's health insurance provider — the North Carolina Association of County <br />Commissioners Health Insurance Trust — requires that the County apply its definition of <br />domestic partner in making health insurance available for domestic partners. This is the <br />definition proposed below. The Health Insurance Trust does not specify whether such benefits <br />