On Jan. 28, President Bush signed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008, or U.S. Public Law 110-181.
It entitles eligible employees up to 12 weeks of leave because of “any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call to active duty status.”
The U.S. Department of Labor will implement regulations defining “any qualifying exigency.”
In the interim, employers are also encouraged to provide “new leave entitlement” which qualifies sons, daughters, parents or next of kin of a covered servicemember who is recovering from a serious illness or injury sustained in the line of duty.
Employees can get up to 26 weeks of leave in a single 12-month period to look after the servicemember.
“An eligible employee is entitled to a combined total of 26 weeks of all types of [Family and Medical Leave Act] leave,” stated the notice sent to the CNMI by the U.S. Wage and Hour Division.
In an interview, CNMI Troops to Teacher program coordinator Geri Willis said many employers may not be aware of this new law.
“This new law will be a huge morale booster for both the soldier, and his/her family prior to being deployed to their posting sites,” she told Variety.
