Proposal extends medical leave to veterans' families
Proposal extends medical leave to veterans' families
Family members of veterans would be entitled to the same leave afforded to family members of current military service members under an amendment to the Family and Medical Leave Act announced Monday.
Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, along with first lady Michelle Obama, said the Labor Department is proposing statutory amendments to FMLA that would allow a related caregiver up to five years of leave after the service member leaves the military. The current law, passed in 1993, affords this only to family members of those currently serving in the military.
The proposal also extends "qualifying exigency leave" to employees whose family members serve in the regular armed forces. Currently, this applies only to families of National Guard members and reservists.
"Keeping the basic promise of America alive means ensuring that workers, from our servicemen and servicewomen who keep us safe at home to the flight crews who keep us safe in the skies, have the resources, support and opportunities they need and have rightfully earned," Solis said. "The proposed revisions announced today are an important step toward keeping that promise."
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=49889&oref=todaysnews