As used in this article:

(a) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the department of labor.

(b) "Dependent" means any person who is living with or dependent upon the income of any employee whether related by blood or not.

(c) Employee. --

(1) "Employee" means any individual, hired for permanent employment, who has worked for at least twelve consecutive weeks performing services for remuneration within this state for any department, division, board, bureau, agency, commission or other unit of state government, or any county board of education in the state.

(2) "Employee" does not include:

(A) Individuals employed by persons who are not "employers" as defined by this article;

(B) Elected public officials or the members of their immediate personal staffs;

(C) Principal administrative officers of any department, division, board, bureau, agency, commission or other unit of state government, or any county board of education in the state; or

(D) A person in a vocational rehabilitation facility certified under federal law who has been designated an evaluee, trainee or work activity client.

(d) Employer. -- "Employer" includes any department, division, board, bureau, agency, commission or other unit of state government and any county board of education in the state.

(e) "Employment benefits" means all benefits, other than salary or wages, provided or made available to employees by an employer, and includes group life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, sick leave, annual leave, educational benefits and pensions, regardless of whether such benefits are provided by a policy or practice of an employer or by an employee benefit plan as defined in the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

(f) The term "health care" or "health care services" means clinically related preventive, diagnostic, treatment or rehabilitative services whether provided in the home, office, hospital, clinic or any other suitable place, provided or prescribed by any health care provider or providers. Such services include, among others, drugs and medical supplies, appliances, laboratory, preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative services, hospital care, nursing home and convalescent care, medical physicians, osteopathic physicians, chiropractic physicians, and such other surgical, dental, nursing, pharmaceutical, and podiatric services and supplies as may be prescribed by such health care providers.

(g) "Health care provider" means a person, partnership, corporation, facility or institution licensed, certified or authorized by law to provide professional health care services in this state to an individual during this individual's medical care, treatment or confinement.

(h) "Parent" means a biological, foster or adoptive parent, a stepparent or a legal guardian.

(i) "Serious health condition" means a physical or mental illness, injury or impairment which involves:

(1) Inpatient care in a hospital, hospice or residential health care facility; or

(2) Continuing treatment, health care or continuing supervision by a health care provider.

(j) "Son" or "daughter" means an individual who is a biological, adopted or foster child, a stepchild or a legal ward, and is (1) under eighteen years of age; or (2) eighteen years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of mental or physical disability.

(k) "Spouse" means any person legally married to an "employee" covered under this article.