Domestic Partner Benefits

The College offers individuals who have a Domestic Partner the opportunity to submit a notarized statement and if criteria are met to be able to add the partner to their benefits. 

How do I register my Domestic Partner with Middlebury College?

During Initial Enrollment Period (first 30 days of benefit eligible employment)
At your time of hire or status change to become eligible for benefits you have 30 days during which you may add your partner to your benefits without a waiting period. In this 30 day period the process is: 

1. Review and complete the Statement of Domestic Partnership with your partner and collect the necessary documentation. 
2. Have the Statement of Domestic Partnership notarized. 
   • There are notaries on campus, including in HR. To schedule a time with a notary in HR email hr@middlebury.edu. 
3. Email a scanned copy or photo of the notarized form to benefits@gmhec.org 
4. The Benefits Team at GMHEC will review the form and confirm that the criteria has been met. 
   • If criteria has been met the relationship will be updated in Oracle and communicate next steps to you. 
   • If the criteria is not met you will be notified with next steps. 
5. If the criteria is met and your status is updated in Oracle, then:
   • You may work with the ID badge office to get your partner a spouse ID for use of athletic facilities, borrowing privileges at the libraries, and discounts to sports and performing arts events.
   • You may enroll your partner in your employee benefits (such as medical, dental, and vision insurance) and also have your partner deemed as an immediate family member if an applicable need for family or bereavement leave arises.

Please note that there are special IRS rules regarding taxation of Domestic Partner benefits.  See the Summary Plan Description for additional information and special enrollment rules.

After my Initial Enrollment Period has Passed (greater than 30 days of benefits eligible employment)

1. Review and complete the Statement of Domestic Partnership with your partner and collect the necessary documentation. 
2. Have the Statement of Domestic Partnership notarized. 
   • There are notaries on campus, including in HR. To schedule a time with a notary in HR email hr@middlebury.edu. 
3. Email a scanned copy or photo of the notarized form to benefits@gmhec.org 
4. The Benefits Team at GMHEC will review the form and confirm that the criteria has been met. 
   • If the criteria has been met the relationship will be updated in Oracle with the relationship and you will be notified with next steps. 
   • If the criteria is not met you will be notified and provided with next steps if applicable. 
5. If the criteria is met and your status is updated in Oracle, then there is a six month waiting period before your domestic partner’s benefits will fully be available. 
   • Right away: You may work with the ID badge office to get your partner a spouse ID for use of athletic facilities, borrowing privileges at the libraries, and discounts to sports and performing arts events.
   • After a 6-Month waiting Period and upon having a qualifying life event or Annual Open Enrollment: You may enroll your partner in your employee benefits (such as medical, dental, and vision insurance) and also have your partner deemed as an immediate family member if an applicable need for family or bereavement leave arises.

Please note that there are special IRS rules regarding taxation of Domestic Partner benefits.  See the Summary Plan Description for additional information and special enrollment rules.

Please note that CA Registered domestic partners, civil marriage and civil union couples are not required to complete Statement of Domestic Partnership. 

What is a Domestic Partner?
Domestic Partners are couples who live together but are not married or Civilly United.  Domestic Partners can be same-gender or heterosexual.

What is the Criteria for a Domestic Partner at Middlebury College? 

At Middlebury College, a qualifying domestic partnership is defined by the following 8 criteria:

1. We are responsible for each other’s welfare and intend to remain so indefinitely;
2. We have resided together continuously for at least six (6) months before the date of this Statement, we are living together now and intend to do so indefinitely;
3. We are at least eighteen (18) years of age and competent to contract;
4. Neither of us is married to anyone else;
5. We are not related to one another by blood closer than would legally bar marriage;
6. Neither of us has signed a Statement of Domestic Partnership as partner of anyone else during the six (6) months prior to this Statement:
7. We have at least two (2) of the following:
   1. Joint ownership of a motor vehicle
   2. Joint checking, savings or investment account
   3. Joint ownership of a home
   4. A lease for a residence identifying both partners as tenants.
8. The domestic partner has been designated as a beneficiary for at least two (2) of the following :
   1. Middlebury College Core Life Insurance
   2. Middlebury College Supplemental Life Insurance
   3. Retirement Plan(s) offered

Why should I register my Domestic Partnership with Human Resources?
Employees may register a Domestic Partner with Human Resources/GMHEC Benefits if desired.  This is a completely voluntary decision – you are not required to register. 

If you are eligible for Middlebury College Health and Welfare benefits and choose to register your partner, the benefits available to your partner include:

1. Health, Dental and other insurance coverage for your partner and their children.  Employees pay an additional cost to cover any additional eligible family members.  Please refer to the annual Benefits Guide for rate information.  Please note that there are special IRS rules regarding taxation of Domestic Partner benefits.  See the Summary Plan Description for additional information and special enrollment rules.
2. Your Domestic Partner will be entitled to a spouse ID card which provides access to the athletic facilities, borrowing privileges at the libraries, and discounts to sports and performing arts events.
3. If your Domestic Partner becomes ill or has a child, you may be entitled to Family or Medical Leave.
4. If your Domestic Partner’s qualifying family member passes away, you may be eligible for Bereavement Leave.

I read the Summary Plan Description about the tax implications of having my DP on my benefits, but I still don’t understand it. Can you please explain it more clearly?
The Internal Revenue Service requires organizations to tax the fair market value of employer-paid health benefits (medical, dental and vision insurance) provided to non-spousal partners and their children.  In addition, the IRS requires that any contribution that employees make toward the cost of such coverage be made on an after-tax basis.  The states of Vermont and California have similar regulations, except that state taxes do not apply to employees who cover a civil union partner, civil marriage spouse or CA registered domestic partner and his/her children (state taxes do apply to non-CA registered domestic partners and their children).

For example, in 2025 the fair market value of our Platinum Plus medical plan is $563.88 per pay period.  This amount will be added to the applicable gross earnings for Federal and state taxes (except as noted above) if you enroll your DP in our medical insurance.  The 2025 fair market value for our Enhanced dental plan is $25.92 and enhanced vision insurance is $5.56 per pay period.

Are there any exemptions to the federal and state tax rules?
There are two exceptions to these federal and state tax rules.

First, when both partners are benefits-eligible employees of Middlebury College and/or MIIS there is no tax consequence since each employee would independently be eligible for the non-taxable health benefit. 

Second, an exception applies to any employee who covers a domestic, civil union or civil marriage partner who also qualifies as the employee’s dependent for federal and state income tax purposes – in other words, the employee can claim the partner and children (if any) when filing his/her income taxes. Definition of Tax Dependent.  (Typically employees are not able to claim partners; however, if you believe this exception applies in your situation we recommend that you consult your tax advisor.  Complete the Declaration of Tax Dependency and notify Human Resources if you determine that you are able to claim your partner and children (if any) on your taxes:  in that case, your partner’s/spouse’s benefits would not be taxable.)  

May I add my domestic partner to my benefits right away?
If you registered your Domestic Partnership within 30 days of when you first became eligible for benefits at Middlebury College then you can add your DP to your benefits immediately. If you did not add them to benefits immediately, then after a six month waiting period you may enroll your DP during open enrollment or you may enroll them mid-year if they have a qualified life event. 

If you registered your domestic partner after your initial 30 days of eligibility (except a domestic partner registered in a jurisdiction that authorizes such domestic partnership, which will follow the same rules as spouses or civil union partners), then your partner will not be allowed to enroll for coverage under the Plan unless they have been identified as your domestic partner in the Oracle for at least six months and they have lost coverage under another benefit plan OR they has been identified as your domestic partner in the records of Human Resources/Benefits for at least six months prior to a new plan year and are added during Open Enrollment.

What if things change with my Domestic Partner?
Contact the Benefits Team at GMHEC immediately if any conditions within the statement of domestic partnership change to discuss impacts to your benefits. You may reach them at benefits@gmhec.org or 802-443-5485. 


What should I do if my partner and I are no longer together?
You are required to notify Middlebury College or GMHEC Benefits immediately upon termination of your domestic partnership. If Middlebury College or any of its insurers or third-party administrators suffer a loss because of lack of timely notification of the domestic partnership they may bring a civil action lawsuit to recover their respective losses, including reasonable attorney’s fees. 

• The Domestic Partnership Status Change form must be completed within 30 days and emailed to benefits@gmhec.org 
  • The Benefits Team will work will help you remove the former partner from your benefits. 
• You must also notify your domestic partner of the termination.

Questions?
If you have any questions about Domestic Partners at Middlebury College, please contact the Benefits Team at GMHEC by emailing benefits@gmhec.org or calling 802-443-5485.