Family and Medical Leave Act

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the Family and Medical Leave Act took a decade from its conception to finally becoming law for most employers in 1993. The author points out that this law, which covers companies with 50 or more workers and employees with at least a year of service, mandates up to 12 weeks of leave per year for various family medical emergencies and for the birth or adoption of a child and stipulates that the employers must continue to provide health care benefits and that returning workers must be given their old job or an equivalent. The paper relates that the current time permitted is less than in Europe and Japan; some lawmakers are currently working to increase this time in order to benefit American employees.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Beginnings
Momentum
Becoming Law
Understanding the Law
Enforcement
Current Status
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"When the bill was first introduced in the 99th Congress, it was unable to secure a hearing in the predominately Republican Senate. In 1990, after some significant compromises that reduced the period of leave entitlement and raised the small-employer exemption, the bill gained sufficient bipartisan support to pass both the House and the Senate. However, President Bush reversed his previous campaign promise to support such a bill and vetoed the FMLA, and the House failed to override the veto. By the time the 102nd Congress convened during 1991 and 1992, the bill had garnered so much interest that it secured the "coveted bill numbers 'H.R. 2' and 'S. 5' - signaling that it was one of the top five priorities of the leadership for that Congress."

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