Obama to extend Family and Medical Leave Act

President Obama is directing the Department of Labor to propose a rule which allows legally married couples the benefits of the Family and Medical Leave Act in all 50 states – even where gay unions are not legal. The FMLA allows employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for family and medical purposes.

The rule is being issued as Attorney General Eric Holder announces the results of a review of U.S. laws in the wake of the landmark 2013 Supreme Court Windsor decision that held that the survivor of a same-sex couple could claim the federal estate tax exemption for surviving spouses.

The decision forced the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages in states where it is legal and has paved the way for the Obama administration to take steps to expand the legal rights of gay couples.

via Reuters