Taking Family and Medical Leave

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives employees the right to take time off work for certain health issues and caregiving obligations. As originally passed in 1993, the law gave employees the right to take time off to bond with a new child, care for a family member with a serious health condition, or recover from their own serious health condition. In 2008, the law was expanded to also provide military family leave: Employees may now take FMLA leave to deal with certain practical matters arising from a family member's deployment or to care for a family member who is seriously injured while serving in the military.

The articles in this section explain employee rights and obligations under this important federal law. They also provide information on state family and medical leave laws, some of which are more generous than the federal FMLA regulations.

For even more information, see Nolo's book The Essential Guide to Family & Medical Leave.

Learn about the FMLA, state laws, eligibility, regulations, and employer policies governing family and medical leave.

Under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees have the right to take time off to care for a family member with a serious health condition or to recuperate from their own serious health condition, among other things.

Employees may take FMLA leave when a military family member is injured or called to active duty.

Learn your rights when it comes to returning to work after FMLA leave.

Everything you need to know to take FMLA and make a smooth transition back to work.

Learn some common ways employers violate the FMLA.

Learn about the different ways that you can be compensated in your FMLA case.

Basic information about employee rights under the FMLA.

Get FMLA information and forms from the federal Department of Labor's main FMLA page.

If you want to go straight to the source, you can read the FMLA here.

The Family and Medical Leave Act covers only larger employers, those with at least 50 employees. And, it covers only employees who meet three requirements.

I thought the company had to pay for my health insurance while I'm on FMLA leave.

Learn the rules and laws around FMLA "renewal".

But once that time is over, don't employers have to offer the same amount of time to male and female employees?

Can I use my paid leave at the same time? Are there any other laws or programs I can use to get paid for this time off?

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