{"abstract":"The Department of Labor's (Department) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) revises the regulation defining \"spouse\" under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA or the Act) in light of the United States Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Windsor, which found section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to be unconstitutional.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF LABOR","name":"Labor Department","id":271,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/labor-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/271","parent_id":null,"slug":"labor-department"},{"raw_name":"Wage and Hour Division","name":"Wage and Hour Division","id":524,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/wage-and-hour-division","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/524","parent_id":271,"slug":"wage-and-hour-division"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2015/02/25/2015-03569.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":825,"title":29}],"citation":"80 FR 9989","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This Final Rule is effective March 27, 2015.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":[],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2015-03569","effective_on":"2015-03-27","end_page":10001,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2015/02/25/2015-03569.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/02/25/2015-03569/definition-of-spouse-under-the-family-and-medical-leave-act","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2015-03569?publication_date=2015-02-25","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2015-02-25/2015-03569/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":13,"page_views":{"count":15399,"last_updated":"2026-04-04 16:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-02-25/pdf/2015-03569.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2015-03569.pdf?1424708238","publication_date":"2015-02-25","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2015/02/25/2015-03569.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1235-AA09":{"issue":"201410","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1235-AA09/family-and-medical-leave-act-of-1993-as-amended","title":"Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, as Amended","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201410&RIN=1235-AA09&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1235-AA09"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustments for 2023","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0122"},{"title":"Department of Labor Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustments for 2022","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0116"},{"title":"Rules of Practice and Procedure Concerning Filing and Service and Rules Concerning Filing and Service","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0105"},{"title":"Department of Labor Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustments for 2021","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0098"},{"title":"Rules of Practice and Procedure Concerning Filing and Service and Amended Rules Concerning Filing and Service","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0097"},{"title":"Rules of Practice and Procedure Concerning Filing and Service and Amended Rules Concerning Filing and Service","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0096"},{"title":"Discretionary Review by the Secretary of Labor","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0094"},{"title":"Discretionary Review by the Secretary of Labor","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0093"},{"title":"Amended Rules Concerning Discretionary Review by the Secretary","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0085"},{"title":"Discretionary Review by theSecretary","document_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001-0081"}],"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=WHD_FRDOC_0001","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"WHD_FRDOC_0001","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"Recently Posted WHD Rules and Notices.","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2015-03-17T06:00:07Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":9989,"subtype":null,"title":"Definition of Spouse Under the Family and Medical Leave Act","toc_doc":"Definition of Spouse Under the Family and Medical Leave Act","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Employee benefit plans","Health","Health insurance","Labor management relations","Maternal and child health","Teachers"],"type":"Rule","volume":80}