NAM welcomes new FMLA regulations.
Press Release Summary:
According to NAM, Family Medical Leave Act regulation issued by Labor Department will strengthen 15 year old law. FMLA allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year for family and medical reasons. However, regulations were confusing, making FMLA one of the most misunderstood laws for employers and employees. New regulations will provide greater clarity, additional leave for military families, and ensure employees can balance work and family needs.
Original Press Release:
NAM Welcomes New FMLA Regulations
Engler Says Changes Improve Law, Brings Better Guidance for Employers and Employees
WASHINGTON, D.C., November 14 - The National Association of Manufacturers said the new Family Medical Leave Act regulation issued by the Labor Department today will strengthen the 15-year-old law. The new regulations will provide additional leave for military families, provide greater clarity and understanding of the law, and ensure employees are able to balance their work and family needs for decades to come.
"These new regulations are long overdue" said NAM Chairman and CEO John Engler. "The new rules will strengthen and clarify a law that has helped millions of workers and their families."
The NAM and its members submitted detailed comments in response to the Department's proposed rules earlier this year. The new regulations were formed after Labor had received more than 15,000 of comments from employers and employees, as well as numerous other regulatory actions and dozens of congressional hearings.
FMLA allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year for certain family and medical reasons. However, the law's regulations were confusing, making FMLA one of the most misunderstood and costly laws for employers and employees alike. This law has been difficult to interpret and implement, triggering substantial amounts of litigation that sometimes went all the way to the Supreme Court.
"The changes restore the balance intended by Congress between employer's needs for employees, and employees' need for time to attend to important family and medical issues," Engler says. "Employees will be able to take time off for important family needs like the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a family member with a serious illness, or to seek treatment themselves when seriously ill."
The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAM has 11 additional offices across the country. Visit the NAM's Web site at www.nam.org for more information about manufacturing and the economy.
