Military Caregiver Leave
Military caregiver leave provides up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period and provides job protection and insurance premium sharing for eligible employees caring for a military spouse, child, parent, or next of kin.
To Care for a Current Service Member/Family Member
A service member is a family member who is a member of the regular Armed Forces, National Guard, or the Reserves who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is in outpatient status, or is on the temporary disability retired list for a serious injury or illness.
For purposes of FMLA leave, a serious illness or injury is one that occurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform the duties of his or her office, grade, rank, or rating.
To Care for a Veteran/Family Member
A covered veteran is one who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a serious injury or illness if he or she was:
- A member of the Armed Forces (including a member of the National Guard or Reserves);
- Discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable; and
- Discharged within the five-year period before the eligible employee first takes FMLA military caregiver leave to care for the veteran.
How to Apply
Submit BOTH items below via LeaveAdministration@UTSouthwestern.edu to Leave Administration for consideration of the FMLA request.
- A completed Family Medical Leave Request (link requires VPN). The employee’s supervisor may submit a request form on behalf of the employee if the employee is unavailable for more than three (3) consecutive days.
- The employee should provide the applicable certification form: either a WH 385 – Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of Covered Service Member regarding a covered service member; or a WH 385V – Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of a Veteran regarding a veteran to one of the following providers:
- U.S. Department of Defense health care provider; or
- A health care provider who is either: (1) a United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care provider; (2) a DOD Tricare network authorized private health care provider; (3) a DOD non-network Tricare authorized private health care provider; or (4) a health care provider as defined by the FMLA. Completed forms should be returned to the employee or to Leave Administration. Supervisors should never receive/retain this information.
Questions about leave?
Leave Administration 
214-648-9840