- A. In the case of a member of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves, it means an injury or illness incurred by the member in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces (or existed before the beginning of the member’s active duty and was aggravated by service in line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces) and that may render the member medically unfit to perform the duties of the member’s office, grade, rank, or rating; and
- B. In the case of a veteran who was a member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard of Reserves, at any time during a period as a covered service member defined in this policy, it means a qualifying (as defined by the U.S. Secretary of Labor) injury or illness that was incurred by the member in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces (or existed before the beginning of the member’s active duty and was aggravated by service in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces) and that manifested itself before or after the member became a veteran.

“Son or daughter of a covered servicemember” means a covered servicemember's biological, adopted, or foster child, stepchild, legal ward, or a child for whom the covered servicemember age.2 stood in loco parentis, and who is of any

“Year”, for leave to care for the serious injury or illness of a covered service member, the twelve (12) month period begins on the first day the eligible employee takes FMLA leave to care for a covered servicemember and ends twelve (12)months after that date.

An eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered service member shall be entitled to a total of twenty-six (26)weeks of leave during one twelve (12) month period to care for the service member who has a serious injury or illness as defined in this policy. An eligible employee who cares for such a covered service member continues to be limited for reasons 1 through 4 in Section One and for any qualifying exigency to a total of twelve (12) weeks of leave during a year as defined in this policy. For example, an eligible employee who cares for such a covered service member for sixteen (16) weeks during a twelve (12) month period could only take a total of ten (10) weeks for reasons 1 through 4 in Section One and for any qualifying exigency. An eligible employee may not take more than twelve (12) weeks of FMLA leave for reasons 1 through 4 in Section One and for any qualifying exigency regardless of how little leave the eligible employee may take to care for a spouse, child, parent or next of kin who is a covered servicemember with a serious illness or injury.

If a legally married couple are both eligible employees employed by the District, the legally married couple are entitled to a combined total of twenty-six (26) weeks of leave during one twelve (12) month period to care for their spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin who is a covered service member with a serious injury or illness, as defined in this policy. The leave taken by a legally married couple who care for such a covered service member continues to be limited to a total of twelve (12) weeks of FMLA leave for reasons 1 through 4 in Section One and for any qualifying exigency during a year, as defined in this policy, regardless of whether or not the legally married couple uses less than a combined total of fourteen (14) weeks to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness; moreover, the legally married couple’s twelve (12) weeks are combined when taken for reasons 1, 2, or to care for a parent under reason 3 in Section One.

© 2018 Arkansas School Boards Association Page 52