HRC Blog

For married same-sex couples in marriage equality states, there is now clear government guidance that workers can take family leave to care for a spouse.

Today the Department of Defense (DOD) announced it will fully comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) by treating all marriages by service members equally.

Under current law, the Social Security Administration determines eligibility based on whether the courts in the state where a couple resides would find them to be legally married. However, this must only be the first step towards ensuring equal access to this critical set of benefits.

While at the U.S. Embassy in London this morning, Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the U.S. Department of State will now consider visa applications from legally married same-sex couples in the same manner as opposite-sex couples.

The action comes in response to the Supreme Court's decision striking down Section 3 of the Defense of the Marriage Act, one month ago today.