Delta Air Lines is upgrading its health benefits policy to assist employees in same-sex relationships. Effectively immediately, employees who cover same sex domestic partners under Delta’s healthcare plans will no longer be responsible for any federal or state income or payroll tax burden associated with this coverage. Instead, Delta will pay those taxes on behalf of these employees retroactive to Jan. 1, 2015. This will result in parity of the cost of health care coverage between same-sex domestic partners and employees in legally recognized marriages regardless of U.S. location.

This month, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on and decide whether same-sex marriage bans are prohibited by the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection under the law. A ruling is due by the end of June.

“While this issue remains unsettled on a national level, Delta’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and respect is rooted deeply in the airline’s values and culture,” said Joanne Smith, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Delta Air Lines. “By providing equality in this critically important area of benefit costs for employees with same-sex domestic partners, we will continue to build a great place to work.”

In addition to the airline’s announcement, Delta also recently participated in a brief urging the Court to support marriage equality.