Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT FINAL REGULATIONS TAKE EFFECT TODAYThursday, April 6, 1995

For more information call: (202) 219-8743.

The final regulations for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 take effect today.

These final regulations, largely unchanged from the previously published interim final regulations, include revised definitions of terms such as "serious health condition" and "health care provider;" clarification of employers' responsibilities on designation of FMLA leave; information responding to employers' questions about medical certification; clarifying the FMLA's relationship with federal and state anti-discrimination laws, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act, and workers compensation laws.

The final rules incorporate suggestions from more than 900 comments received by the Labor Department during the six-month public comment period on the interim rules. The FMLA, which became effective on August 5, 1993, covers private employers with 50 or more employees, employees of public agencies and employees of local public or private schools.

Efforts continue to educate employers and employees about their rights and responsibilities under the law. The final regulations were published in the Federal Register of January 6, 1995.

The FMLA allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during a 12-month period for the birth of a child and to care for a newborn; placement of a child for adoption or foster care; care of a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition; or an employee's own serious health condition.

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment Standards Bernard E. Anderson said, "The Family and Medical Leave Act ensures that workers no longer have to make agonizing choices between caring for their families and keeping their jobs, and employers can retain valuable employees in whom they have invested time and training. This law benefits the nation as a whole, and we are proud of our role in administering it."

FMLA affects about 45 million U.S. workers (40 percent of the U.S. labor force), and 300,000 U.S. businesses, or about 5 percent of the total.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.