{"id":4709,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:40","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/smallbusiness\/employment-law-and-human-resources\/family-and-medical-leave.html"},"modified":"2024-06-06T05:03:30","modified_gmt":"2024-06-06T10:03:30","slug":"family-and-medical-leave","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/employment-law-and-human-resources\/family-and-medical-leave.html","title":{"rendered":"Family and Medical Leave"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Family and Medical Leave<\/h1>\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\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

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of unpaid and paid leave has become a topic of debate among workers, employers, and legislators around the country. The federal government has held off on mandating paid medical leave for private employers, although some states have started requiring it.<\/p>\r\n

At present, the only mandated federal law providing medical leave is the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)<\/a>. This federal law applies in all states for all covered employers. It grants eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. There are requirements that employers and employees must meet to qualify for this leave.<\/p>\r\n

Eligibility Requirements<\/h2>\r\n

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has attempted to make the FMLA available to the greatest number of workers possible. FMLA leave is flexible enough to use with other employer leave policies.<\/p>\r\n

Covered Employers<\/h3>\r\n

Covered employers must comply with all FMLA regulations. A covered employer is:<\/p>\r\n