(a) The medical certification provision that an employee is ``needed
to care for'' a family member encompasses both physical and
psychological care. It includes situations where, for example, because
of a serious health condition, the family member is unable to care for
his or her own basic medical, hygienic, or nutritional needs or safety,
or is unable to transport himself or herself to the doctor, etc. The
term also includes providing psychological comfort and reassurance which
would be beneficial to a child, spouse or parent with a serious health
condition who is receiving inpatient or home care.
(b) The term also includes situations where the employee may be
needed to fill in for others who are caring for the family member, or to
make arrangements for changes in care, such as transfer to a nursing
home.
(c) An employee's intermittent leave or a reduced leave schedule
necessary to care for a family member includes not only a situation
where the family member's condition itself is intermittent, but also
where the employee is only needed intermittently--such as where other
care is normally available, or care responsibilities are shared with
another member of the family or a third party.
