The Family and Medical Leave Act, or the FMLA, was signed into law in on Feb. 5, 1993, by President Bill Clinton. It was landmark legislation that enabled millions of working Americans to take necessary time off to receive the care they need or to care for a family member.
The 30th anniversary was celebrated at a ceremony at the White House on Thursday, with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Clinton in attendance.
“No American should ever have to choose between a paycheck and taking care of a family member or taking care of themselves,” said President Biden.
On Thursday, the president also issued a memorandum encouraging federal agencies to expand access to unpaid leave, including during their first year of work.
While the three-decade anniversary marks a milestone labor law, the United States remains woefully behind its peers in providing time off to workers for the care of newborns or family members — paid or otherwise.
The FMLA guarantees qualified workers the right to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. That leave is earmarked for medical leave regarding serious conditions, parental leave, caregiving leave or leave to address the impact of military deployment.
Roughly 56% of American workers are covered by the FMLA. It also guarantees job protection, continued health insurance for the duration of the leave and protection against employer retaliation.
Workers have used the law more...
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