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### §2611. Definitions

As used in this subchapter:

#### (1) Commerce

The terms “commerce” and “industry or activity affecting commerce” mean any activity, business, or industry in commerce or in which a labor dispute would hinder or obstruct commerce or the free flow of commerce, and include “commerce” and any “industry affecting commerce”, as defined in paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 142 of this title.

#### (2) Eligible employee

#### (A) In general

The term “eligible employee” means an employee who has been employed—

(i) for at least 12 months by the employer with respect to whom leave is requested under section 2612 of this title; and

(ii) for at least 1,250 hours of service with such employer during the previous 12-month period.

#### (B) Exclusions

The term “eligible employee” does not include—

(i) any Federal officer or employee covered under subchapter V of chapter 63 of title 5; or

(ii) any employee of an employer who is employed at a worksite at which such employer employs less than 50 employees if the total number of employees employed by that employer within 75 miles of that worksite is less than 50.

#### (C) Determination

For purposes of determining whether an employee meets the hours of service requirement specified in subparagraph (A)(ii), the legal standards established under section 207 of this title shall apply.

#### (3) Employ; employee; State

The terms “employ”, “employee”, and “State” have the same meanings given such terms in subsections (c), (e), and (g) of section 203 of this title.

#### (4) Employer

#### (A) In general

The term “employer”—

(i) means any person engaged in commerce or in any industry or activity affecting commerce who employs 50 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year;

(ii) includes—

(I) any person who acts, directly or indirectly, in the interest of an employer to any of the employees of such employer; and

(II) any successor in interest of an employer;

(iii) includes any “public agency”, as defined in section 203(x) of this title; and

(iv) includes the General Accounting Office and the Library of Congress.

#### (B) Public agency

For purposes of subparagraph (A)(iii), a public agency shall be considered to be a person engaged in commerce or in an industry or activity affecting commerce.

#### (5) Employment benefits

The term “employment benefits” means all benefits provided or made available to employees by an employer, including group life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, sick leave, annual leave, educational benefits, and pensions, regardless of whether such benefits are provided by a practice or written policy of an employer or through an “employee benefit plan”, as defined in section 1002(3) of this title.

#### (6) Health care provider

The term “health care provider” means—

(A) a doctor of medicine or osteopathy who is authorized to practice medicine or surgery (as appropriate) by the State in which the doctor practices; or

(B) any other person determined by the Secretary to be capable of providing health care services.

#### (7) Parent

The term “parent” means the biological parent of an employee or an individual who stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was a son or daughter.

#### (8) Person

The term “person” has the same meaning given such term in section 203(a) of this title.

#### (9) Reduced leave schedule

The term “reduced leave schedule” means a leave schedule that reduces the usual number of hours per workweek, or hours per workday, of an employee.

#### (10) Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Labor.

#### (11) Serious health condition

The term “serious health condition” means an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves—

(A) inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility; or

(B) continuing treatment by a health care provider.

#### (12) Son or daughter

The term “son or daughter” means a biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis, who is—

(A) under 18 years of age; or

(B) 18 years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

#### (13) Spouse

The term “spouse” means a husband or wife, as the case may be.

(Pub. L. 103–3, title I, §101, Feb. 5, 1993, 107 Stat. 7; Pub. L. 104–1, title II, §202(c)(1)(A), Jan. 23, 1995, 109 Stat. 9.)

#### Amendments

1995—Par. (4)(A)(iv). Pub. L. 104–1 added cl. (iv).

#### Effective Date of 1995 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–1 effective one year after transmission to Congress of the study under section 1371 of Title 2, The Congress, see section 1312(e)(2) of Title 2. The study required under section 1371 of Title 2, dated Dec. 31, 1996, was transmitted to Congress by the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance on Dec. 30, 1996.

#### Effective Date

Subchapter effective 6 months after Feb. 5, 1993, except that, in the case of collective bargaining agreements in effect on that effective date, subchapter applicable on the earlier of (1) the date of termination of such agreement, or (2) the date that occurs 12 months after Feb. 5, 1993, see section 405(b) of Pub. L. 103–3, set out as a note under section 2601 of this title.

#### Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in title 2 section 1312; title 3 section 412; title 42 section 12631.