"Walmart Just Settled a Groundbreaking Case for Same-Sex Couples", 5 Dec 2016

More than 1,000 Walmart employees could be eligible for compensation after the company settled a lawsuit alleging it discriminated against LGBTQ employees when it denied same-sex couples health-insurance benefits...[T]he case is groundbreaking because it represents an evolution of legal precedent. Plaintiffs have historically had to sue for discrimination on the grounds they didn’t “conform to gender stereotypes” (i.e. weren’t masculine or feminine enough), but in this case the court ruled that Walmart had discriminated against the plaintiff because she was married to a woman...Under the terms of the settlement, Walmart will reimburse employees for the out-of-pocket cost of their spouse’s health care from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013.  It will also pay 250 percent of costs for employees who submit spousal health-care expenses for $60,000 or more.   Walmart also committed to giving same-sex couples the same benefits it offers way heterosexual couples...An important factor in Cote’s victory is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s finding in recent years that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is “inherently” sex discrimination...