Google Adding Pay to cover Same-Sex Benefits Tax

[Sphyrna]

Yahoo scored points with the rainbow under their logo linking to a page about Gay Pride. Google's scored more points by increasing the pay for Gay and Lesbian employees to cover a tax on their benefits that straight people don't pay. As it says at the end of the post, hopefully more companies will follow this trend or better yet change the tax code to make it fair for all.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Love the responsibility of this company. Thanks for sharing the news here!

 

[reid_man]

What's the tax? Idk much about these types of things

 

[Sphyrna]

What's the tax? Idk much about these types of things

"The tax, which stems from employer-provided health benefits for domestic partners being counted as taxable income, doesn't apply to straight, married employees, who's benefits aren't taxable."

It's not a direct tax. Basically, benefits for domestic partners is considered taxable income where as benefits for regular spouse is not taxable income. So it's not like a gas tax or sales tax or a gay tax. Hope that helps clarify, although I'm not tax expert myself.

 

[reid_man]

So domestic partnerships have to pay for their job benefits?

 

[Sphyrna]

No. Google pays for their benefits. But the value of the benefits is considered taxable income. Say a Google employee with a domestic partner makes $50,000/yr and the value of the benefits they get from Google is $10,000/yr. According to the government, their taxable income is $60,000. For a str8 employee their taxable income would be $50,000. Say the income tax rate is 25%. A gay employee would pay $15,000/yr in taxes. A str8 employee would pay $12,500/yr in taxes. Does that help clarify it? Maybe someone else can step in and explain it better.