HR Staff to Study US Leave Act

18 Feb 2007

Nearly 4 out of 5 human resource (HR) professionals say employees do not fully understand their rights and responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) according to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world's largest organization representing HR professionals. These findings were released today, the final day of the U.S. Department of Labor's comment period requesting information about how the FMLA is being implemented.

In an effort to strengthen the FMLA, SHRM has conducted several surveys of human resource professionals across the country to better understand the challenges faced by those who administer the act and its sometimes contradictory and confusing requirements.

"The fair application of family and medical leave rules is one of the most important challenges and responsibilities facing HR professionals today," said Susan R. Meisinger, SPHR, President and CEO of SHRM. "Our survey demonstrates that 14 years after the bill was signed into law, the rules -- especially those related to the definition of what constitutes a serious medical condition -- continue to create more questions than answers."

"Employees need to know the benefits they are entitled to, and employers need to understand how to provide those benefits in a way that is fair for all workers," Meisinger said.

Signed into law by President Clinton on February 5, 1993, FMLA allows most workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for birth, adoption and other serious health conditions, or to care for a seriously ill family member. SHRM is among the thousands of organizations and individuals providing comments to the Department of Labor on how to improve the Act's administration.