Jeffrey A. Lieberman, a Member of the Firm in the Employee Benefits practice, in the New York office, was quoted in an article titled "Benefits Professionals Wait and See How DOMA Ruling Will Play Out."

Following is an excerpt:

Thousands of laws, including benefits mandates, will be affected by the Supreme Court's Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) decision (Windsor v. Schlain, No. 12-307 [U.S. 2013]) that struck down DOMA's traditional definition of "marriage" and "spouse," according to Jeffrey Lieberman, an attorney at Epstein Becker & Green in New York City. With many laws, it's unclear how the nuances of the ruling will play out; so employers are taking a "wait-and-see attitude," he told SHRM Online.

A key point is that employers will not be obligated to do something new; the decision merely puts same-sex spouses in the same situation as opposite-sex partners, Lieberman emphasized.

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