Obama To Ensure Sick Leave For Gay Couples

The White House is working to enure that gay Americans can take time off from work to care for each other if needed, even in states where gay marriage isn’t legal.

Obama is directing the Labor Department to start drafting rules making clear that the Family and Medical Leave Act applies to same-sex couples, allowing gay and lesbian employees to take unpaid leave to care for a sick spouse regardless of where they live. The move comes three years after the Obama administration stopped defending the Defense of Marriage Act, which lets states refuse to recognize gay marriages performed in other states.

The White House is promoting the move as part of Obama’s push to expand protections for gays and lesbians by allowing same-sex couples to take advantage of the same federal benefits available to married heterosexual couples.

To that end, the Justice Department also plans to announce it has completed a review that Obama ordered to assess what legal benefits can be extended to gay couples. Already, Obama has moved to ensure gay couples have equal access to health insurance, immigration privileges and tax benefits, the White House said.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.