Dept of Labor Wants Your Views on FMLA Changes

As one of the initial women to take advantage of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) after giving birth to my first child, I want to ensure that it is as effective as possible for other women. While it has its limitations, it is an important piece of legislation that recognizes the significance of caring work and the role of the workplace in supporting families. The new regulations open access for some groups and could make it more difficult for others to receive FMLA benefits.

The Department of Labor Women's Bureau has asked that as many women as possible respond with comments to the proposed changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act by April 11th. Please go to the Additional Information section on the website below and take the time to review the fact sheet and FAQs. Whether you are currently in the workforce or not, it is important to share your opinion on how this act could affect you, your spouse, or your children.

See DOL request below:

The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division is seeking comments from interested parties on proposed changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations.

For a summary of the proposed regulatory amendments, visit Wage and Hour's website at http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/FMLANPRM.htm, which provides linkage to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published in the Monday, February 11, 2008 Federal Register. Commenter's are encouraged to submit their comments electronically through the Federal rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov until 12:00 midnight April 11, 2008. Once on the site, enter the key words “Family and Medical Leave Act” (include quotation marks) in the “COMMENT OR SUBMISSION” field to file a submission or view submitted comments. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. (Comments may also be submitted by mail as indicated in the Federal Register notice. Due to delays in mail processing, electronic submission is strongly recommended.) Please be advised that comments received will be posted without change, including any personal information provided, and will be viewable by the public on the www.regulations.gov Website.