MILITARY FAMILY LEAVE
FMLA now permits a "spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin" to take up to 26 workweeks of leave to care for a "member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness." That is what the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008 (NDAA), signed by the President January 28, 2008, says.
The NDAA also provides that an employee may take FMLA leave for "any qualifying exigency (as the Secretary [of Labor] shall, by regulation, determine) arising out of the fact that the spouse, or a son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty) in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation." That second provision is not effective until the Secretary of Labor issues final regulations defining "any qualifying exigency." Both changes only apply to covered employers and employees. For more information regarding these changes to the FMLA, please contact Tamara Gerrard.

NEW CHAMBER DESK MANUAL PUBLISHED
Hawaii’s most popular employment law reference manual has been updated by the Labor and Employment Law Department of Torkildson, Katz, Moore & Hetherington.  The ’07-’08 Chamber Desk Manual: Labor and Employment Law for Hawaii Employers contains new and revised summaries and discussions of Hawaii and federal employment and labor laws and issues not found in previous editions.  The Manual continues to be an indispensable resource for personnel matters and now will be updated annually by Torkildson, Katz, Moore & Hetherington.  Visit www.chamberdeskmanual.com  to subscribe on-line or call your TK attorney for more information.  Hard copies may be purchased from The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii by calling 808-545-4300x317.