For purposes of the Family Military Leave Act:

(1) Employee means any person who may be permitted, required, or directed by an employer in consideration of direct or indirect gain or profit to engage in any employment. Employee does include an independent contractor. Employee includes an employee of a covered employer who has been employed by the same employer for at least twelve months and has been employed for at least one thousand two hundred fifty hours of service during the twelve-month period immediately preceding the commencement of the leave;

(2) Employee benefits means all benefits, other than salary and wages, provided or made available to employees by an employer and includes group life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, and pensions, regardless of whether benefits are provided by a policy or practice of an employer;

(3) Employer means (a) any individual, legal representative, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, association, business trust, or other business entity and (b) the State of Nebraska and political subdivisions; and

(4) Family military leave means leave requested by an employee who is the spouse or parent of a person called to military service lasting one hundred seventy-nine days or longer with the state or United States pursuant to the orders of the Governor or the President of the United States.