Rhode Island General Laws Title 28. Labor and Labor Relations § 28-48-1. Definitions

(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:

(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.