Human Resources Management Commons^™

Should The Federal Government Mandate Family Medical Leave Policy For Companies With 25-49 Employees?, Sonja Irlbeck, Susan R. Madsen, Sue Nash

Susan R. Madsen

Employees and employers struggle with balancing work/family responsibilities. While the U.S. Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has been effective for some companies, it created burdens for others. The current debate whether to extend the FMLA to employees in companies with 25-49 employees has spawned U.S. studies and hearings to understand better both sides of the issue. This article reviews both sides of this critical issue, providing a history of the current act and references to international documentation and experts on the topic. The authors discuss possible amendments to the FMLA, as well as expansion of the legislation that will benefit …