S.1710 - Making It Likely for Families of the Military to Live with Leave Access Act; MIL FMLA Act (119th Congress)
Summary
S.1710, the MIL FMLA Act, aims to improve family and medical leave benefits for military families. The bill expands the definition of 'son or daughter' for servicemember leave, includes domestic partners in leave eligibility, and extends leave to a broader range of family members. It also provides leave for veterans with serious injuries or illnesses incurred during active duty.
Expected Effects
The act will broaden the scope of individuals eligible for family and medical leave related to military service. This includes expanding the definition of family to include domestic partners and other close relations. The changes aim to provide greater support for military families and veterans.
Potential Benefits
- Expands leave eligibility to domestic partners of servicemembers.
- Provides leave for a broader range of family members, including grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces.
- Offers leave to veterans with serious injuries or illnesses incurred during active duty.
- Allows for leave to care for individuals with a close association equivalent to a family relationship with a covered servicemember.
- Extends FMLA protections to federal civilian employees under Title 5.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for increased administrative burden on employers to verify eligibility for expanded categories of family members.
- Possible increased costs to employers due to more employees taking leave.
- Risk of misuse or abuse of the expanded leave provisions.
- May create complexities in interpreting 'close association' and 'significant personal bond'.
- Could lead to disputes over leave eligibility and certification requirements.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill aligns with the Constitution's broad goals of promoting the general welfare, as stated in the Preamble. Congress has the power to raise and support armies (Article I, Section 8), and this bill can be seen as a measure to support military personnel and their families, thus contributing to national defense. The expansion of leave benefits does not appear to infringe upon any specific constitutional limitations.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).