The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) provides a means for employees to balance their work and family responsibilities by taking unpaid, job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons. The FMLA provides that eligible employees are entitled to:

  • Twelve workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for:
    • The birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth; the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement
    • To care for the employee’s spouse, child or parent who has a serious health condition
    • A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of his or her job
    • Any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty”
  • Twenty-six workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness if the employee is the spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin of the servicemember (Military Caregiver Leave)

The FMLA also requires that the employee's group health insurance coverage be maintained under the same terms and conditions during the leave as if the employee had not taken leave.
The Wage and Hour Division administers and enforces the FMLA for all private, state and local government employees, and some Federal employees. Most Federal and certain congressional employees are also covered by the law and are subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management or the Congress.

The Department’s FMLA poster is available in English and Spanish.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These laws cover all private employers, state and local governments, and education institutions that employ 15 or more individuals. These laws also cover private and public employment agencies, labor organizations, and joint labor management committees controlling apprenticeship and training.

EEO is the Law poster (PDF) and supplement is also available in Spanish and Chinese.