Grand Canyon University to extend benefits to married gay couples
Nov 13, 2015, 10:13 AM
(Facebook Photo)
(Facebook Photo)
PHOENIX — Grand Canyon University said it would extend employee benefits to married same-sex couples even though it disagreed with gay marriage as an institution.
The private Christian school in Phoenix announced Friday that the decision was reached after an “annual review process of HR policies.”
The university pointed out that though it firmly believed marriage was between a man and woman, “GCU is making a conscious choice to maintain its religious beliefs, while respecting and honoring its neighbors, as well as the system of government and laws that exist today, by extending employee benefits to spouses of lawfully married same-sex couples.”
The Supreme Court extended same-sex marriage rights across the country in the summer in a 5-4 ruling.
That decision forced 14 states to stop banning same-sex marriages.
In Arizona, same-sex couples were allowed to marry in 2014.
The American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of some university employees said in August that denial of benefits violated federal law and harmed employees and their families.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
