On Jan. 28, 2008, President Bush signed a law that extended FMLA rights to certain family members of U.S. military personnel. The new law says employees caring for wounded military members can now take up to 26 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave each year.
A second provision says employers must also grant up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave each year to immediate family of reservists and National Guard members who are called into active duty (either overseas or in the United States). Such leave can be taken for any “qualifying” event related to the service member’s absence.
Covered employers are encouraged to post notification in their workplaces about these changes. You DON’T need to obtain an entirely new FMLA poster. The U.S. Labor Department has created a free supplemental poster that satisfies the notice requirements. Download the poster here:
FMLA Military Family Leave poster.
