CIVIL UNION NOTICE FOR RESIDENTS OF VERMONT GCERT2000 notice/vt 19 Vermont law provides that the following definitions apply to your certificate: ● Terms that mean or refer to a marital relationship, or that may be construed to mean or refer to a marital relationship, such as "marriage," "spouse," "husband," "wife," "dependent," "next of kin," "relative," "beneficiary," "survivor," "immediate family" and any other such terms include the relationship created by a Civil Union established according to Vermont law. ● Terms that mean or refer to the inception or dissolution of a marriage, such as "date of marriage," "divorce decree," "termination of marriage" and any other such terms include the inception or dissolution of a Civil Union established according to Vermont law. ● Terms that mean or refer to family relationships arising from a marriage, such as "family," "immediate family," "dependent," "children," "next of kin," "relative," "beneficiary," "survivor" and any other such terms include family relationships created by a Civil Union established according to Vermont law. ● "Dependent" includes a spouse, a party to a Civil Union established according to Vermont law, and a child or children (natural, step-child, legally adopted or a minor or disabled child who is dependent on the insured for support and maintenance) who is born to or brought to a marriage or to a Civil Union established according to Vermont law. ● "Child" includes a child (natural, stepchild, legally adopted or a minor or disabled child who is dependent on the insured for support and maintenance) who is born to or brought to a marriage or to a Civil Union established according to Vermont law. ● “Civil Union” means a civil union established pursuant to Act 91 of the 2000 Vermont Legislative Session, entitled “Act Relating to Civil Unions”. All references in this notice to Civil Unions are limited to Civil Unions in which the parties are residents of Vermont. If dependent insurance for a spouse and/or child is not provided under your certificate, such insurance is not added by virtue of this notice. For purposes of dependent insurance, any person who meets the definition of “dependent” as set forth in this notice is required to meet all other applicable requirements in order to qualify for such insurance. This notice does not limit any definitions or terms included in your certificate. It broadens definitions and terms only to the extent required by Vermont law. DISCLOSURE: Vermont law grants parties to a Civil Union the same benefits, protections and responsibilities that flow from marriage under state law. However, some or all of the benefits, protections and responsibilities related to life and health insurance that are available to married persons under federal law may not be available to parties to a Civil Union. For example, a federal law, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 known as “ERISA”, controls the employer/employee relationship with regard to determining eligibility for enrollment in private employer benefit plans. Because of ERISA, Act 91 does not state requirements pertaining to a private employer’s enrollment of a party to a Civil Union in an ERISA employee benefit plan. However, governmental employers (not federal government) are required to provide life and health benefits to the dependents of a party to a Civil Union if the public employer provides such benefits to dependents of married persons. Federal law also controls group health insurance continuation rights under “COBRA” for employers with 20 or more employees as well as the Internal Revenue Code treatment of insurance premiums. As a result, parties to a Civil Union and their families may or may not have access to certain benefits under this notice and the certificate to which it is attached that derive from federal law. You are advised to seek expert advice to determine your rights under this notice and the certificate to which it is attached.