Following up on my earlier post about Monday’s official release of the new FMLA regulations, the regulations are now available electronically a few days before.

You can download a copy here (though you are forewarned that it is over 700 pages long — about 2 MB). 

A cursory review of the document shows that the first 550 pages or so contain extensive discussion of the changes in the new rules with the specific feedback received from employer and employee groups.  (My prior post in February summarized the draft regulations.) The actual regulations start on page 556.

For employers, the regulations will provide some helpful guidance in the area of military leaves.  Since the new military FMLA went into effect early in 2008, employers have been left to struggle with how to reconcile the new law with the differences that exist in the military law. The new regulations attempt to resolve those issues.

I’ll be posting updates on further specifics as we digest this massive document but as I said before, the new regulations will not take effect until January 16, 2009.