by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

The federal Office of Personnel Management has announced new family leave rules that will allow federal workers to take paid time off to attend to a sick or deceased domestic partner.

The changes were published in the Federal Register for June 14.

Unlike other recent changes in federal personnel policy, these latest changes apply equally to same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners.

The changes to family leave regulations are part of a package of reforms ordered by President Obama last year.

The change announced June 14 adds opposite-sex and same-sex partners, stepparents, stepchildren, grandparents, and grandchildren to the list of relationships that permit a federal worker to take leave.

The changes do not apply to the Family and Medical Leave Act, which only Congress can change by statute.

OPM added stepparents, stepchildren, grandparents, and grandchildren at the request of agencies and workers concerned that the personnel policy did not explicitly list them.

The notice in the Federal Register also reminded workers that they may take leave for sick or dying relatives who are not explicitly listed in the notice.

"The fact that a specific relationship is not expressly included in these definitions is not meant to diminish the familial bond, or to imply that leave may not be used to care for a person with that relationship," OPM said in the Register.

"Although we agree that any of the suggested relationships may be considered a close association with the employee that is equivalent to a family relationship, not every employee's relationship will have this close association. For example, some employees may have been raised by an aunt, while others may have never had the opportunity to meet their aunt."

OPM declined to extend the leave policy to pet owners who wish to stay home with sick or dying animals, saying workers would have to use their annual leave or leave without pay in those circumstances.

The rules announced June 14, like those announced by the White House June 2, only apply to employees of the federal government.

Unions representing federal workers hailed the latest move.

National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen M. Kelley told AP reporters, "This action reflects the structure of today's families. These changes are additional important steps in helping ensure fairness in the federal workplace."

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