Delta Air Lines Helps Gay Employees with Health Care Taxes

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) became the first major carrier Thursday to make same-sex domestic partners whole for additional income taxes they owe for health care plans.

Atlanta-based Delta will pay those taxes for employees retroactive to Jan. 1. The tax is only a problem for employees living in states that do not recognize their marriages; Georgia is one of them. Delta executives, pilots, flight attendants and other employees living there have to pay extra tax based on the value of the insurance.

At least 40 other major companies offer such benefits.

There are currently 37 states that allow same same-sex marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling by the end of June that could expand same-sex marriage to the entire country.