This past Friday (Aug. 9, 2013), according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued regulations allowing workers in same-sex marriages to take leave from their jobs under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for their spouses, provided they reside in the 13 states or the District of Columbia, where such marriages are legally recognized.
Labor Secretary Tom Perez said the guidance on FMLA is "one of many steps" it will take to implement the Supreme Court's decision striking down the definition of marriage in the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). He said the department will "look for every opportunity" to ensure that it is implementing the decision "in a way that provides the maximum protection for workers and their families."
The Department of Defense (DOD) is expected to issue a directive providing benefits to same-sex spouses of military personnel by the end of August, according to the report.