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Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson is co-sponsoring legislation that extends from 3 to 6 months time off allowed by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for families of injured service members to care for their loved ones.
“Family and friends play a critical role in the care and recuperation of a loved one that has combat related injuries. Quite often those injuries are horrific and take a long time to heal. Allowing a family member a few more months of unpaid leave from their job is not only the humane thing to do, it’s the patriotic thing to do,” said Nelson.
S. 1894, the Support for Injured Service Members Act, follows recommendations by the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors to increase the amount of unpaid leave for a family member to provide care for an injured soldier without losing their job, benefits, or seniority.
According to a survey by the Commission, the FMLA is already used extensively by families of wounded troops. The survey of wounded personnel shows 33 percent of active duty, 22 percent of reserve component, and 37 percent of retired/separated service members report that a family member or close friend relocated for extended periods of time to be with them while they were in the hospital.
Twenty-one percent of active duty, 15 percent of reserve component and 24 percent of retired/separated service members say friends or family gave up a job to be with them or act as their caregiver.
Family or close friends stayed to assist recovery of almost 66 percent of active duty and 54 percent of reserve component service members.
FMLA currently provides for 3 months of unpaid leave to a spouse, parent or child acting as a caregiver for a person with a serious illness. As evidenced by the Commission report many of those injured in service to our country rely on other family members or friends to care for them as they recover.
This legislation allows these other primary caregivers, such as siblings, cousins, friends, or significant others to take leave when our returning heroes need them most and without fear of losing their job.
Nelson is co-sponsoring the legislation with Senator Christopher Dodd who was the original author of the Family Medical Leave Act that became law in 1993.
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