Federal workers can now take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to make child care arrangements and address other issues that can arise when a family member is called to active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The new regulations, which took effect Oct. 1, will make it easier for federal employees to juggle work, home and military responsibilities, officials at the federal Office of Personnel Management say.
The new policy was required by amendments to the FMLA contained in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2010 and are consistent with the Department of Labor’s qualifying exigency rules for private sector workers.
The rule adds eight new circumstances (the government calls them “exigencies”) relating to the military service of the employee’s spouse, son, daughter or parent, which will enable federal employees to take 12 weeks of FMLA leave.
- To address issues relating to short notice deployment
- To attend military events and related activities
- To arrange for alternative child care
- To make or update financial or legal arrangements
- To attend counseling
- To spend time with a sick or injured military member
- To attend official military ceremonies
- To address unspecified circumstances that arise out of active duty.
For an in-depth analysis of the regulations and their impact on employers and human resource professionals’ administration of FMLA, see the upcoming December 2011 issue of the Family and Medical Leave Handbook.