Postal employees will have more opportunities to take time off work to help family members who are military service members or veterans under new rules mandated by the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act.
The law, signed late last year by President Obama, allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid or unpaid leave per year under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to help a family member who is on active duty or is being called up for active duty to a foreign country.
The new rules also enable employees to take up to 26 weeks of paid or unpaid leave per year under FMLA to care for family members who are veterans and need medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a serious injury or illness incurred in or aggravated by service in the line of duty on active duty.
Previously, employees could only take time off to help injured or ill family members who were active-duty military. To qualify, the veteran must have been a member of the military, National Guard, or Reserves during the five years preceding the treatment, recuperation or therapy.
Click here for further information about the Family and Medical Leave Act. (internal USPS link)