We are a small privately held sw developer. The company pays all but about $50 per month for health insurance. Of course the cost for family coverage is about $600 more per month than for a single person.

I was asked if we could balance the salary offered to a single person by raising it compared to that which we offer a married person for the same job, given their benefits will cost us less, though noting that the overall cost to the company would be the same?

It sounds fishy to me, not sure we can do it, but wanted a specific reason.

Thanks.