Under FMLA, which individuals are eligible to take leave?

• A. Employee, Spouse, Aunt, Grandparent
• B. Employee, Child, Spouse, Parent
• C. Employee, Sibling, Cousin, Niece
• D. Employee, Friend, Neighbor, Pet

Answer: (B)

FMLA leave is designed for the employee to take time off themselves or to care for certain family members who have a serious health condition. Specifically, you can take leave to care for a spouse, child, or parent, and you can also take leave for your own serious health condition. That makes the set that includes the employee plus the family members defined by FMLA (child, spouse, parent) the correct one. Relatives like aunts, grandparents, siblings, cousins, or nieces aren’t covered for caregiving leave, and non-relatives or pets aren’t eligible either. Also, to actually use FMLA, the employee must meet eligibility criteria such as 12 months of service and a minimum number of hours worked, plus applicable employer size/location requirements.