A yet-to-be-announced University of Kentucky committee needs to develop a recommendation on domestic-partner benefits by early 2007 if the benefits are to take effect by the start of the next fiscal year, a top UK official said yesterday.

"We are starting now and we will have to have a recommendation no later than January or February" to allow time for budget planning for 2007-2008, said Frank Butler, UK's executive vice president for finance and administration.

The work-life survey -- completed by 56 percent of faculty and 45 percent of staff -- found that most UK employees are happy with their jobs but worry about the adequacy of their benefits and whether they can balance work demands with their personal and family lives.

In addition to domestic-partner benefits, employees suggested an expanded employee assistance program for counseling; employee education benefits that would cover spouse and children; child care and career development.

Kim Wilson, UK's associate vice president for human resources, said she expects to announce in the next couple of weeks the members of committees that will consider the suggestions.

Butler said in an interview that the committee's first task will be to define the term "domestic partners." The term normally applies to same-sex or opposite-sex couples who are not married, but some have suggested that the term include an employee who has responsibility for a parent or dependent.

Domestic-partner benefits were not mentioned yesterday when Circuit Judge Phillip Patton of Glasgow, chairman of the trustees' human resources committee, presented the committee's report to the full board.

The trustees are not required to vote on a proposal for domestic-partner benefits because it is an administrative matter that UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. can decide, said UK General Counsel Barbara Jones.

However, Todd, Jones and UK spokesman Jay Blanton agreed that, as a practical matter, the trustees will be heavily involved in consideration of domestic-partner benefits, as they would for any major policy issue.

State Rep. Stan Lee, R-Lexington, and some other lawmakers have said they might seek legislation prohibiting universities from providing domestic-partner benefits.

"It's important for the legislature to butt out and let the universities design their own benefits package," Scorsone said. "They know their needs on the campuses. We don't need to meddle."

Faculty trustees Jeff Dembo and Ernie Yanarella said they favor domestic-partner benefits because they will be needed if UK is to attract the top creative talents it will need to become a Top 20 public research university.

In a nutshell, the work-life survey found that most UK employees are happy with their jobs but have worries about the adequacy of their benefits and whether they can balance work demands with their personal and family lives.

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