New FMLA Definition of Child Could Affect Federal Labor Law Poster

The U.S. Department of Labor clarified the federal Family and Medical Leave Act definition of “son and daughter”, giving parental rights to all employees who assume the role of caring for a child.

The “administrator interpretation” issued by the Labor Department today expands parental rights to family leave beyond those with a legal or biological relationship and includes same-sex partners.

Under the FMLA covered employers (those with 50 or more employees) must grant eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth and care of a newborn child, to adopt or assume care for a foster child, to care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition, or to take medical leave due to a serious health condition.

The new interpretation could cause a change to the FMLA poster on our federal labor law poster, so we are closely monitoring the poster for any future revisions.  

For more information about our federal labor law poster or any other state or federal labor law poster questions, go to the Poster Compliance Center federal labor law poster page or call 1-800-322-3636.