On October 28, 2009, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (the “NDAA”), which, among other things, expands the scope of the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) pertaining to leave for qualifying exigencies and military caregiver leave.
Specifically, the NDAA now permits family members of active duty service members in the regular Armed Forces who are deployed to a foreign country to take leave for a qualifying exigency. Previously, only family members of National Guard and Reservists called to active duty in support of a contingency operation were permitted to take leave for a qualifying exigency. The NDAA also extends the scope of military caregiver leave to families of certain veterans, who previously were not covered by the provision. It also permits military caregiver leave for serious injuries or illnesses that are the result of pre-existing conditions that were aggravated by service while on active duty.