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Entry bubble Family Medical Leave Act Basics

By: Sommer | March 28, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

I first heard about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in one of my college classes. Needless to say, my husband and I havepregnant woman talking to a male coworker discussed this little law a lot around the house recently. Since I work for Uncle Sam I don’t get “maternity leave” per se, but I have been able to save up enough vacation to use while I’m off work with the baby. Luckily I won’t have to take unpaid leave under FMLA to spend time with my newborn. My husband isn’t that lucky though; he just took a new job last fall. And, since his company doesn’t offer paid paternity leave, he’ll have to invoke his FMLA rights and take unpaid time off if he decides to take extended leave to welcome the baby home.

Here are some details about your rights under FMLA:

  • The Clinton Administration enacted the FMLA in 1993.
  • The main purpose of the law is to grant eligible employees up to 12 workweeks, per 12 month period, of unpaid family and temporary medical leave under the following circumstances:
    • birth and care of the newborn child;
    • adoption or taking a child into foster care;
    • care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health condition; or
    • personal medical leave when the employee cannot work because of a serious health condition.
  • Your employer must give you your original job back once you return to work. If your employer has filled your job in your absence or, for some reason it's no longer available, your employer must provide you with a job that’s equal in pay, benefits and responsibility.
  • You’re also entitled to all your employee benefits while you’re out.

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: employee   family   job   law   leave   maternity   paternity   sommer   work  

Comments (5):

blue comment bubble Posted by Citizen Jmaximus on March 28, 2008 at 07:52 AM EDT

It is funny you mention the Clinton administration, Hillary is taking credit for FMLA even though she only had been the first lady for 2 weeks at the time it passed and nothing to do with it.

Obama 2008

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blue comment bubble Posted by Amir on March 29, 2008 at 03:42 PM EDT

Great job writing this blog, keep up the good work. www.masteringmydebt.com

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blue comment bubble Posted by truckersservices on March 30, 2008 at 06:06 PM EDT

Thank you for posting. Really interesting! Good job!
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blue comment bubble Posted by dcrider on April 03, 2008 at 05:51 PM EDT

We should be proud of having a dedicated staff like youself in our government. Flexibility in telework policy could be anoth way to remedy short coming in FMLA.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Sommer on April 03, 2008 at 06:22 PM EDT

dcrider,
Funny you should mention telework! GSA is in the process of starting a telework program and I love it! Currently most people in our office telework once a week and it's wonderful. You're right that flexibility in telework could increase quality of life for other people in my position and/or those with other family issues that need to temporarily take precedence. I hope when the time comes I'm able to utilize the benefit more. Check out http://www.telework.gov for more information on federal government and telework.
Sommer

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