§ 28-48-1. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following words and terms have the following meanings:

(1) "Director" means the director of the department of labor and training.

(2) "Employee" means any full-time employee who works an average of thirty (30) or more hours per week.

(3) "Employer" means and includes:

(i) any person, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or other business entity that employs fifty (50) or more employees,

(ii) the state of Rhode Island, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and any state department or agency that employs any employees,

(iii) any city or town or municipal agency that employs thirty (30) or more employees, and

(iv) any person who acts directly or indirectly in the interest of any employer.

(4) "Family leave" means leave by reason of the serious illness of a family member.

(5) "Family member" means a parent, spouse, child, mother-in-law, father-in-law, or the employee himself or herself, and with respect to employees of the state as defined in subsection (3)(ii), shall include domestic partners as defined in § 36-12-1(3).

(6) "Parental leave" means leave by reason of the birth of a child of an employee or the placement of a child sixteen (16) years of age or less with an employee in connection with the adoption of the child by the employee.

(7) "Serious illness" means a disabling physical or mental illness, injury, impairment, or condition that involves inpatient care in a hospital, a nursing home, or a hospice, or outpatient care requiring continuing treatment or supervision by a health care provider.

History of Section. (P.L. 1987, ch. 366, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 380, § 2; P.L. 2006, ch. 189, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 316, § 1.)