{"id":357725,"date":"2016-04-04T10:45:26","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/family-medical-leave\/family-and-medical-leave-act.html"},"modified":"2023-12-27T11:37:08","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T16:37:08","slug":"family-and-medical-leave-act","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/family-medical-leave\/family-and-medical-leave-act.html","title":{"rendered":"Family and Medical Leave Act"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Family and Medical Leave Act<\/h1>\n
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\n By Lisa Burden, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Aviana Cooper, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Welcome to FindLaw’s section on employees’ rights to family and medical leave, including maternity leave, disability, and more. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is the federal law that allows covered employees to take extended time away from work to handle certain family or medical matters.<\/p>\r\n

This section contains answers to common questions on the FMLA, employee rights and responsibilities, and more. To begin, select an item from the list below, or click "read more" to learn about the history of the FMLA. <\/p>\r\n

The History of the Family and Medical Leave Act<\/h2>\r\n

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is an important employment law creating employees’ rights to unpaid family and medical leave. President Bill Clinton signed the federal legal measure into law in 1993.<\/p>\r\n

When Clinton signed the bill, he noted<\/a> that many employers had failed to accommodate workers by adopting family and medical leave policies. This forced them to choose between their jobs and family emergencies. He also noted that employees with serious health conditions who were temporarily unable to work lacked job protection.<\/p>\r\n

In a nutshell, the FMLA provides workers with 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period. The work absence is job-protected leave. Job-protected means the worker must be reinstated to their former job or an equivalent position with the same pay and benefits, including health benefits. While the worker is out on leave, the employer must continue the worker’s health insurance. The federal law only applies to large employers.<\/p>\r\n

The FMLA sets minimum requirements. Some cities and many states have their own leave laws. <\/a>These laws may provide additional employee leave benefits beyond those outlined in the FMLA, such as paid leave.<\/p>\r\n

Following is a brief discussion of employees’ rights under the FMLA.<\/p>\r\n

Family and Medical Leave: Overview<\/h2>\r\n

The FMLA doesn’t require every employer to provide leave. Small businesses don’t have to comply. But large employers and public employers must follow the FMLA. These include:<\/p>\r\n