Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a United States federal law that entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons. The FMLA is administered by the United States Department of Labor.

The FMLA was enacted in 1993 as an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FMLA was designed to balance the demands of work and family life by providing employees with the ability to take time off to address certain family and medical needs without fear of losing their jobs.

The FMLA applies to all public agencies, private-sector employers with 50 or more employees, and some state and local government employees. The FMLA covers all employees who have worked for their employer for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period immediately preceding the leave.

The FMLA provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for the following reasons:

* Birth of a child
* Placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care
* Care for a spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition
* The employee's own serious health condition

The FMLA also allows employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave in a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty.

The FMLA is a valuable benefit for employees who need to take time off to address family and medical needs. The FMLA helps employees to balance their work and family lives, and it helps to ensure that employees do not lose their jobs due to family or medical reasons.

If you are an employee who is eligible for FMLA leave, you should be aware of your rights and responsibilities under the law. You should also be aware of the procedures that you need to follow to take FMLA leave. If you have any questions about FMLA leave, you should contact your employer or the U.S. Department of Labor.