Closing the Gaps on Paid Medical Leave

Photograph Source: Governor Tom Wolf from Harrisburg, PA – CC BY 2.0

February 5 marks the 33rd anniversary of the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a landmark piece of federal legislation that has provided some level of basic security for many millions of workers. It is also grossly inadequate, and falls well short of what workers in other countries are provided.

The FMLA guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid leave due to illness or major life events like the birth of a child.