The U.S. Department of Labor marked the 30th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) with an online roundtable discussion and the launch of a new online resource for workers.
The Family Caregivers: Information on the Family and Medical Leave Act web page provides information "to inform workers about federal regulations for job-protected leave to care for a family member," the DOL states in the Feb. 23 announcement.
"For 30 years, the FMLA has provided eligible workers with the right to take job-protected leave with the continuation of health benefits so they can care for their family member with serious health conditions or to address a family member’s military service," the DOL states in the announcement.
"While millions of caregivers have taken advantage of the act’s protections," the announcement states, "research finds many workers remain unaware of their legal protections under law and others chose not to use the leave, fearful of being treated at work differently."
The DOL’s Wage and Hour Division created the site to assist workers who need to take time off from work to care for a family member, according to the DOL. The site includes a guide on talking with the employer about taking job-protected FMLA leave; updated fact sheets on using FMLA leave when a family member has a serious health condition, military service duties, or must care for an adult child with a disability; and FAQs on FMLA leave, as well as other resources for family caregivers, the DOL reports.
“Our nation’s family caregivers provide critical care and comfort,” Principal Deputy Wage and Hour Administrator Jessica Looman said in the report. “For three decades, the Family and Medical Leave Act has allowed millions of workers to take time away from work to care for their family members without fear of losing their jobs or access to group health insurance."
"The Wage and Hour Division is committed to empowering workers to take leave to care when they need it,” Looman said.
Participants in the online discussion “Working While Caring: A Discussion on Barriers to Workplace Leave for Family Caregivers,” learned about the challenges of taking unpaid leave from work to take care of a family member, according to the statement. Workers, employers and representatives from the American Association of People with Disabilities, AARP and Blue Star Families took part in the virtual roundtable, the DOL reports.
Wendy Chun-Hoon, director of the Women's Bureau, said up to 60% of caregivers also have to work at a job. She said in the report that the FMLA has protected many people since it was enacted in 1993, "but we need to do more."
“Just as parents with new children have access to paid leave," Chun-Hoon said, "workers with serious mental or physical illness or those whose aging relatives need care should have the same protections and benefits.”
