Sick Leave Policy for Gays May Be Expanded

A proposed policy would allow Kern County’s gay and lesbian employees to take sick leave when their partners are ill.

Sick leave also could be used in the death of a partner under the proposed policy, which is expected to be voted on this week by the Kern County Board of Supervisors. The employee and the partner must be registered as domestic partners with the state to qualify.

Last year, state lawmakers passed a bill that gave homosexual partners some of the same rights as married couples, but county officials said they will consider only the sick leave issue.