This week, Wal-Mart announced big changes to its health insurance policies. The mega retailer will offer benefits to its employees' domestic partners, including those of the same sex.

Beginning next year, these benefits will be available in all 50 states, regardless of whether same-sex marriage is legal in that state. With 1.3 million employees, Wal-Mart is the nation's largest private employer, but it's not the first to make such a move.

For more on this we're joined now by Linda Barkacs, professor of business law at the University of San Diego