FMLA

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a United States federal law enacted in 1993 that allows eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons. It aims to help employees balance their work and family responsibilities by allowing them to take reasonable leave for certain family and medical reasons.

Key Provisions

• Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period.
• Reasons for leave include the birth or adoption of a child, serious health conditions affecting the employee or a family member, and certain military family leave provisions.
• Employers must maintain the employee’s health benefits during the leave period.
• Upon return, employees are entitled to the same or equivalent job position.

Examples and Cases

1. An employee takes leave to care for a newborn child.

2. An employee suffering from a serious health condition, such as cancer treatment, utilizes FMLA leave for recovery.

3. A case where an employee was denied FMLA leave due to a misunderstanding of eligibility, leading to legal action to enforce the employee’s rights under FMLA.