The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has finalized regulations that specifically name domestic partners in the definition of "family member" and "immediate relative" for purposes of sick, funeral and certain other types of leaves for federal employees.
The definitions "family member" and "immediate relative" now include domestic partners as well as certain other individuals including grandparents and grandchildren.
The final regulations (effective July 14, 2010) were proposed in September 2009 in response to an Obama administration directive that benefits for federal employees be expanded to include same-sex domestic partners to the extent consistent with federal law.
Unlike the recently finalized long-term care insurance rules, which are limited to federal employees’ same-sex domestic partners, leave benefits may be used in connection with both same- and opposite-sex domestic partners. OPM emphasizes that the final leave regulations do not apply to the FMLA.
Click here to view the regulations.
