Alabama's recent news headlines have been dominated by the subject of same-sex marriage. There are very strong opinion on both sides of the issue, and Alabama has now joined the long list of states involved in litigation regarding the Constitution and its influence on the definition of "marriage". The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in four same-sex marriage cases in April. Here are some items which Alabama employers should consider regarding legal compliance in this unsettled area:

- FMLA: The Department of Labor's proposed regulations seek to revise the FMLA's definition of "spouse" to treat all FMLA-eligible employees in legal marriages equally - that is, to allow eligible employees in valid same-sex marriages to take FMLA leave, regardless of where they live...