The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible employees up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave during a year on account of child birth or serious illness of family members or to recover from a disease or health condition. This federal law was signed to make it a law on February 5, 1993 by President Bill Clinton. The FMLA also ensures that during the leave, employers continue providing health benefits to eligible employees as if they would have received while working. It covers both private and public employees. However, certain categories of employees such as highly compensated workers and elected officials doesn’t come under the law or may face some limitations.
An employee has to meet the eligibility requirements to be able to avail the benefits under the Family and Medical Leave Act. For FMLA leave approval, employee should have worked at least for a year with the employer and must have completed at least 1,250 working hours during the 12 months. Employees working companies with at least fifty staff members are eligible.
