Grand Canyon Univ. to provide same-sex marriage benefits

PHOENIX (AP) — Grand Canyon University is changing its employment policies to now provide benefits to spouses in same-sex marriages.

The private Christian University located in Phoenix said Friday its "sincerely held religious beliefs" remain that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman. It says those beliefs will continue to be supported in classrooms and curriculum.

But the university said it's changing its policies because same-sex marriage is now legal and the university respects what it called "the system of government and laws that exist today."

The university said it made the change as part an annual review of human resources policies.

The American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of some university employees said in August that denial of benefits violated federal law and harmed employees and their families.

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The Gayly - 11/13/2015 @ 1:53 p.m.