WEST PALM BEACH, FL – The Palm Beach County Commission has agreed to offer same sex-couples the same medical leave to care for their domestic partners that the federal government gives married workers. The unmarried domestic partners may take up to 12 weeks a year of unpaid leave to care for their partner with a guarantee that they will be able to return to their jobs. Married county employees already enjoy these rights.

Since 2007, Palm Beach County’s Human Rights Council has pushed to make this addition to county laws. Broward County already allows medical leave for domestic partners, as does the City of West Palm Beach.

Palm Beach County has 53 employees who have registered as domestic partners.