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Family and Medical Leave Act

Welcome to FindLaw's section on employees' rights to family and medical leave, including maternity leave, disability, and more. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is the federal law that allows covered employees to take extended time away from work to handle certain family or medical matters. This section contains answers to common questions on the FMLA, employee rights and responsibilities, and more. To begin, select an item from the list below. Alternatively, you may wish to download FindLaw's Guide to The Family And Medical Leave Act (FMLA) [PDF] for a brief, comprehensive look at what you need to know about the FMLA.
Learn About Family and Medical Leave Act
  • Family and Medical Leave: Overview

    The FMLA allows workers to take time off from work to care for sick family members and it has been vital to the success of working families. This overview article has all the basic information you need to get started.

  • Rights and Responsibilities Under the Family and Medical Leave Act

    Although the FMLA has been a boon to many employees, a worker cannot just skip work whenever he feels like it. Read on to learn about what an employee must do to get FMLA leave.

  • FMLA Eligibility

    FMLA leave is not just for any employee who needs time off for any illness. This article explains who is eligible for leave and who is not in easy to understand language.

  • Qualifying Reasons for FMLA Leave

    Most people access FMLA leave to welcome a new child into the house, but there are other reasons to access leave. This article explains what kinds of health conditions will trigger FMLA leave.

  • Family and Medical Leave Act FAQ

    This article has answers to some of the most common questions about the Family Medical Leave Act. Click here to find some basic information about the FMLA.

  • Family and Medical Leave Laws by State

    The FMLA is a federal law, but many states offer greater medical leave to their workers. See what the laws are for your state using this interactive map.

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