In connection with the 33rd anniversary of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has posted a new series of short videos about the statute on its website.

The FMLA

Passed in 1993, the FMLA requires covered employers to provide eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected time off annually for specific family and medical reasons. (Employees may receive up to 26 weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a servicemember who is a family member.)

Private employers with at least 50 employees are covered by the law, as are public agencies, local school boards and elementary and secondary schools, regardless of their number of employees. Employees are eligible if they have worked for a covered employer for at least 12 months, have at least 1,250 hours of service with the employer during the 12 months before their FMLA leave starts, and work at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles.

Eligible employees may take FMLA leave for:

• The birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care;
• Care of a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition;
• A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to work; or
• Any qualifying exigency arising from an employee’s spouse, child or parent being a covered military member on covered active duty.

New Videos

The DOL has added to its online resources for employers and employees with seven employer-facing videos, running approximately two to four minutes each, under the following titles:

1. Covered Employer;
2. Employee Eligibility;
3. Qualifying Reasons;
4. Certification Process;
5. Military Related Leave;
6. During Employee’s Leave; and
7. FMLA

Employer Takeaway

Employers looking for a quick overview of various aspects of the FMLA may find the new videos helpful.

This Know Your Benefits article is to be used for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of an insurance professional. © 2026 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.