WH-385-V Instructions: Complete FMLA Veteran Caregiver Leave Certification Guide (2026)
A section-by-section guide to completing DOL Form WH-385-V for veteran military caregiver leave. Master the 5-year post-discharge rule, DD-214 verification, bad vs. good certification examples, and 26-week entitlement limits.
For U.S. employers and small-business HR teams.
Verified by AI SoloHR Compliance & Editorial Team (U.S. Employment Law & Regulatory Compliance Research Group)
Department of Labor (DOL) Form WH-385-V is the official medical certification form used when an eligible employee requests FMLA leave to care for a covered veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces (including National Guard and Reserves) who is suffering from a serious injury or illness incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
Under federal law (29 CFR § 825.127), eligible employees are entitled to up to 26 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered veteran who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable within the **5-year period** prior to the start of leave.
📌 Download Official DOL Form WH-385-V PDF: Download official Form WH-385-V PDF directly from DOL.gov (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/WH-385-V.pdf) or visit our FMLA Form Download Center (https://aisolohr.com/blog/fmla-certification-form-download).
Sources and review notes
This article is written for U.S. small-business HR teams in 2026 and should be checked against your own policy, state requirements, and counsel guidance before use in a contested employment decision. AI SoloHR provides workflow structure, reviewed drafting support, and educational resources; it does not provide legal advice or make final employment decisions.
This compliance document references official regulatory guidance from federal employment enforcement agencies:
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