More information is coming out about the Supreme Court decision that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Last week, we reported Lambda Legal's advice about the ruling and what it means. Now we have specific details about how the decision affects federal employees , coming from the acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, Elaine Kaplan.

The big picture is clear. Kaplan says:

As a result of this decision, the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will now be able to extend benefits to federal employees and annuitants who have legally married a spouse of the same sex. 

While it is important for employees to check with their particular workplace, some general principles have been released (with more to come):

• Legally married same-sex spouses now are eligible for enrollment in federal employee health insurance. Children of same-sex marriages now will be treated the same as those of opposite-sex marriages.
• Spouses and children of legal same-sex marriages now are eligible for federal life insurance.
• All legally married same-sex spouses are eligible for dental and vision insurance.
• Spouses now can apply for long-term care insurance as well.
• Employees now have two years to inform the Office of Personnel Management that they wish to designate their same-sex spouse as the beneficiary on their pension if they wish to be eligible for that benefit.

This is just a preliminary list and more information will be coming. Kaplan notes that many of these programs require enrollment and that some of them are time-limited regarding when employees can sign up for them.