On February 25, 2015, the federal Department of Labor ("DOL") issued a Final Rule revising the definition of the term "Spouse" under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") regulations. The FMLA affords eligible employees of covered employers with job-protected leave, including to care for a spouse, stepchild or stepparent. Under the Final Rule, eligible employees in marriages recognized under the law where the marriage took place will be eligible for FMLA protections regardless of the law of their state of residence. According to the DOL, this rule "allows all legally married couples, whether opposite-sex or same-sex, or married under common law, to have consistent federal family leave rights regardless of where they live."
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