Family Medical Leave Act Information

The Family and Medical Leave Act gives employees an opportunity to care for themselves or a loved one when a medical condition arises. Even a father of a newborn can use the FMLA to stay at home with a newborn child after her birth.

Who Can Use It

The Family and Medical Leave Act can be used by any individual working for a company covered by this law. This includes a parent of a newborn, one with a serious medical condition, someone who needs to care for a direct family member with a serious illness, or a pregnant female.

Amount Of Time It Covers

The Family and Medical Leave Act allows the individual to take up to 12 weeks of time off from work. This time off from work does not have to be paid, but can be at the employer's discretion.

Time Off Does Not Have To Be Consecutive

The 12 weeks the employee takes off does not have to be all in one block of time, according to the Family and Medical Leave Act. The employee can split this into several periods of time for her own or her employer's convenience.

Health Care

When an employee is out of work as a result of exercising his rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act, his employer must continue his medical coverage agreement as if he was in the workplace.

Small Companies

An employer must follow the regulations of the Family and Medical Leave Act if it has at least 50 employees working within a 75 mile radius of the location of the employee wishing to be covered. Companies with fewer than 50 employees are not required to honor the FMLA.

Notice

If the employee knows about the need to use the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act in advance, she must inform her employer at least 30 days in advance.

Resources

• FMLA Information