The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) celebrates its 20th anniversary today, Feb. 5, 2013.
The FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for employees with health concerns affecting either themselves or those they care for and up to 26 weeks of leave to care for related service members when the employer has a workforce of 50 or more.
"The Family and Medical Leave Act codified a simple and fundamental principle: Workers should not have to choose between the job they need and the family members they love and who need their care," said Acting Secretary of Labor Seth Harris. "The FMLA has helped millions upon millions of working families manage challenging personal circumstances at very little cost to their employers and with very little disruption in the workplace."