The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), was created to benefit families where both husband and wife work, the growing importance of both parents being present in early childhood development, and inadequate job security for people with serious health conditions. There are costs involved with the FMLA as well, however, ideally this law has promoted family integrity, enabled parents to take care of their children after birth, and most importantly has helped secure employment for unhealthy people. In 1993, the FMLA became a federal law which required employers with 50 or more employees (and public companies of any size) allow employees to take unpaid leave to care for ill family members and to return to the same position or to a substantially similar position following the leave. The implementation of this Act was designed to be equitable to both the employee and the employer, which has made it a win-win proposition for both. Some of the benefits an employer reaps from this Act are they are able to retain a valuable employee, as well as displaying good faith, and shows a willingness to work with their employees. If an employer and an employee possess a good relationship they both can work out a flexible work schedule that can be intermittent or consecutive. Another benefit an employer could offer is to substitute paid
Cited: Bennett−Alexander−Hartman: Employment Law for Business, Fourth Edition McGraw−Hill 2003