The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is one of the most important pieces of legislation when it comes to employers and employees. FMLA was revised back in 2009 with new rules going into effect on January 16 of that year. FMLA helps employees take leave from work for various reasons without worrying that they will lose their job. Let’s take a brief look at the latest revisions of the FMLA in this post.
The FMLA provides women with 12 weeks off from work due to pregnancy without the risk of losing their jobs. The leave can be used for prenatal care, being incapacitated due to the pregnancy and any serious health concern after the birth. Men are also permitted time off from work under the FMLA for the birth of a child and to care for their spouse who gave birth or who became incapacitated due to the pregnancy or childbirth.
Qualifying for the FMLA requires the following conditions be met:
- Be employed by a company covered by FMLA.
- Have no fewer than 50 employees at the company.
- Have worked for the company for at least 12 months. The 12 months didn’t have to occur consecutively.
- Work no fewer than 1,250 hours for the employer in the 12 months leading up to the leave.
The government recognizes those who serve in the military, ensuring that any time missed from work to fulfill military commitments is not docked from the 1,250 hours required to earn FMLA.
Do you feel that your rights under FMLA have been violated? Protecting your rights is something that should be done immediately. You can learn more about the federal employment laws that affect you in order to be able to fully exercise your rights.
Source: United States Department of Labor, “Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About the Revisions to the Family and Medical Leave Act,” accessed Jan. 15, 2018