Federal Daily News
Labor Department aims to expand FMLA for military caregivers
The Labor Department plans to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act to expand family leave provisions for military caregivers.
Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced the move on Jan. 30. The notice proposed rulemaking addressing the changes also will include a special eligibility provision for airline flight crew employees.
One of the proposed statutory amendments would extend the entitlement of military caregiver leave to family members of veterans for up to five years after leaving the military. The FMLA currently covers only the family members of “currently serving” service members.
The proposal also would expand the law’s military family leave provisions by extending qualifying exigency leave to employees whose family members serve in the regular armed forces. Currently, the FMLA covers only the families of National Guard members and reservists.