March 2026
Tony Nelson, State & Leave Compliance Specialist
Enacted in 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for certain family and medical reasons and requires that group health benefits be maintained during the leave as if the employee had not taken leave. Since being signed into law, FMLA has remained the cornerstone federal leave law establishing minimum standards for leave benefits and employer obligations in the U.S. Over time, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) has released various guidance and forms/documents for employers to use when complying with and administering FMLA.
Recently, the Wage and Hour Division of the DOL announced new FMLA resources, including videos, with the hopes of allowing employers and employees to gain a better understanding of FMLA rights and obligations. “Today we unveiled a new set of FMLA resources as part of our compliance assistance initiative. These new resources feature a video series that provides straightforward information about requirements under federal labor law,” said the DOL in a statement.
Visitors to the DOL’s FMLA webpage will now see links to “FMLA Videos” that feature guidance and answers to some frequently asked questions. While the agency has made various resources available for years in plain-language formats—including employer FMLA guides, employee guides, forms, posters and toolkits— this video series is another effort by the DOL to provide readily accessible information about the FMLA. These resources may be useful for training Human Resources personnel about the FMLA and providing instruction to managers about administering employee leave. They may also serve as tools for employers to use in reinforcing internal policies with supervisors and managers about employee eligibility, qualifying reasons for leave, notice requirements and rights to restoration following an FMLA absence.
While the videos do not change the law, they may serve as a practical compliance tool for employers covered by FMLA. Remember that the FMLA applies to all public agencies, all public and private elementary and secondary schools, and private companies with 50 or more employees working 20 or more hours per workweek in the current or preceding calendar year. Eligible employees are entitled to take unpaid leaves of absence for qualifying reasons under the FMLA, and group health plan coverage may not be altered by the employer when an employee is on FMLA leave.
Employer action items
- Review the DOL’s new FMLA videos and consider using them as part of training materials for supervisors, HR, and leave administrators.
- Confirm that your organization’s FMLA policies, forms, notices and procedures are compliant with DOL’s latest guidance on posting and notice requirements.
- Utilize the DOL’s resources for employers, including its FMLA compliance toolkit and FMLA employer guide, to review internal leave processes and help avoid pitfalls when designating and administering leave.
Additional information and resources
For more information
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