Follow Newser on Twitter   Friend Newser on Facebook
Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Obama to Give Gays Parents Right to Family Leave

Will be able to take time off to care for sick kids

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 22, 2010 7:00 AM CDT

(Newser) – President Obama intends to give gay workers the explicit right to take family and medical leave to care for a partner’s sick child—even if they have no legal relationship with that child. The Labor Department will issue a formal opinion tomorrow saying that the 1993 law that grants family medical leave applies to gay couples, because it explicitly applies to “a person standing in loco parentis,” the New York Times reports.

Basically, “if you act like a parent, do the work of a parent and raise a child like a parent, then you are a parent,” says one gay rights activist who collaborated with the administration on the ruling. Obama can’t legally recognize gay unions thanks to the Defense of Marriage Act, but he's been finding ways like this to expand couples' rights lately; in April, he granted hospital visiting rights to same-sex partners. Today, he’ll invite activists to the White House to celebrate “LGBT Pride Month.”

President Barack Obama speaks at the Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Campus theater in Washington, June 21, 2010.
President Barack Obama speaks at the Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Campus theater in Washington, June 21, 2010.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
My TakeCLICK BELOW TO VOTE
0%
0%
4%
81%
4%
11%
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 18 comments
JohnEd
Jun 22, 2010 4:45 PM CDT
who besides the Govt. union worker even has 'family leave'?
HappyHabenero
Jun 22, 2010 3:04 PM CDT
As much as I dislike Obie, and most of what he does..this aint so bad at all. YOUR loved one is YOUR loved one. I don't follow that lifestyle, but what if the situation was reversed and hetero marriages were were the object of attention........Ill be damned if somebody is going to prevent ME from being at my wife's bed in the hospital, or if I have to do FMLA, from being near her or my child if there was a serious illness or tragedy. Same sex'ers feel that devotion just as acutely as us Hetero's...so in THIS case......good job ...for once
tellyy
Jun 22, 2010 11:07 AM CDT
that's nice, now while you are at it obama, legalize gay marriage in these united states of america,please?

More Newser Stories

Obama Offers Gays Too Little, Too Late

Judge Strikes Down Defense of Marriage Act

Holder Bars Deportation of Gay Man in Civil Union

Democrats Push to Repeal Law Against Gay Marriage

Obama: Law Against Gay Marriage Unconstitutional


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Timelines   |   Geek Sugar   |   Business Insider   |   HuffPost Entertainment