OCTOBER 2007

LEGISLATIVE / REGULATORY UPDATES

New Law Provides for Time Off for Military Spouses

Gov. Schwarzenegger signed urgency legislation that requires employers with 25 or more employees to allow an employee who is a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces, National Guard or Reserves to take up to ten days of unpaid leave during a “qualified leave period” when that employee’s spouse is home on leave. The designation of the statute as “urgency” legislation means that the new law became effective immediately upon the Governor’s signature. To qualify for this unpaid leave, the employee must (1) be the spouse of a qualified member of the Armed Forces (someone who has been deployed to a scene of military conflict); (2) work an average of 20 hours per week; and (3) provide notice – within two business days of receiving official notice that the member of the Armed Forces will be on leave from deployment – of the intent to take the leave provided by this statute. A “qualified leave” means the period during which the qualified member of the Armed Forces is on leave during a period of military conflict.

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