Domestic Partner Was Not A Legal Spouse Under N.Y. Workers' Compensation Law By Virtue Of Civil Union In Vermont
In this
case, a New York court held that the surviving
domestic partner of a worker was not the worker's legal spouse under New York’s
Workers' Compensation Law by virtue of having entered into a civil union with
the worker in Vermont under Vermont law. Therefore, the domestic partner was not
statutorily entitled to assert a claim for workers' compensation death benefits
based on the worker's death following work-related injuries. The court also held
that the exclusion of parties to civil unions as spouses for purposes of
workers' compensation death benefits did not violate the Equal Protection
Clause.
Langan v. State Farm Fire & Cas.