OPM Finalizes New Leave Benefits

The Office of Personnel Management on Monday finalized a regulation that expands the definition of "family member" for purposes of determining leave and long-term care benefits. The regulations, published in the Federal Register, modify definitions of "family member" and "immediate relative" for determining use of sick leave, funeral leave, voluntary leave transfer, voluntary leave bank and emergency leave transfer.

The final rule broadens the definition to include "any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association is the equivalent of a family relationship," such as step-parents and step-children, grandparents, grandchildren, and same-sex or opposite-sex domestic partners. Earlier this month, OPM finalized rules that expand the definition of "qualified relative" to include same-sex domestic partners of eligible federal employees for purposes of applying for coverage in the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program.

OPM has said that the regulations will help agencies to better address the family needs of an increasingly diverse federal workforce and will enhance the government's ability to compete with the private sector for talent.

The final rule takes effect on July 14.