english

Running header: Assignment 3: Persuasive Paper Part 1: A Problem Exists

Angela Watson

Professor Michael White

English 215- Research and Writing

February 6, 2017

Positive Changes: The Family and Medical Leave Act

We all have to support ourselves, regardless how we accomplish the task. Some people get federal and local funding through Social Security or Military retirement. But, most of us, no matter what age group we fall in; having a job is how we survive. A lot of us have some health problem or is a caregiver to someone with health problems. Employers are not so forgiven when it comes to missing a lot of days from work. So, what can we do about having to take off from work for health reasons? The answer is The Family and Medical Leave Act. This law helps working families protects their jobs and income while out on medical leave. The leave entitles qualifying employees to take twelve weeks of medical leave for caring for family members and themselves. Great job to the United States Congress!

The (FLMA) Family and Medical Leave Act is a good start to have a sound Family and Medical Leave Plan for Employees. The FLMA was put into place to benefit employees that need to take a leave of absence due to medical reasons for self or family members. Many people lost their jobs because they had to stay home with a loved one that is sick. Fathers were not able to spend more than a day or two with their newborn child scared of not being able to support the family. Something had to be done to protect people’s jobs. Of course, there are rules and regulations as with most government programs. The FLMA needs to be revised due to bias, unclear standards and regulations, and the lack of pay when taking a leave of absences.

The Family Medical Leave Act’s history begun with the Women’s Legal Defense Fund back in the 1980’s. They are now known as The National Partnership and Persistence. The organization wrote the first legislation of the (FMLA). In 1991 and 1992 President George Bush vetoed the bill and kept it from helping millions of Americans. In January 1993, President Clinton signed the bill into law.

The first problem with the current policy is a little bias in the eligibility requirements. The private –sector employees can only covered if 50 or more people are working for 20 weeks in the year before. Government and public workers do not have so of the same requirements as everyone else. A group of people left out the law such as Grandparents, grandchildren, and in-laws does not meet the requirements under the (FMLA)(

The second issue is that federal employees may be covered no matter how many employees a company retains. The (FMLA) has regulations and unclear standards when the employer needs to consider what a serious illness is. Some of the forms the doctors fill out is also unclear. The guide is not easy for everyday people to understand. The complexity of the eligibility of the law’s coverage is confusing within the standards like 50 employees within a (75mile radius), what does that mean (Bell, n.d.)?

Now, the third problem the public face is an unpaid family medical leave of absences. The (FMLA) do not provide funding for this leave. However, the employees can use their work sick time (Cadrain, 2009). Although, workers have a medical condition or family members that need caring for; not everyone can take off from work and lose many paychecks. Inequity represents the people that work part–time jobs or does not work enough hours. Regulation eligibility requirements state that 1,250 before the leave must be meet. A lot of employment are for part-time mostly for women. For different reasons such as childcare, education is two reasons why women cannot work full-time jobs and therefore do not meet regulations. Rules were changed in, where family members can take off from work two hours or more of unpaid leave and work the rest of the six

hours, or they can take a full eight hours off. (Cadrain, 2009). The employee does not get an option to get paid unless they use the sick pay. When a family goes away from work, the communities subjected to paying for extra help. Lack of money means they families are applying for government assistance programs like food stamps and welfare programs. More local, state and governmental funding is at use (Ludden, 2013).

The Family Medical Leave Act is a step in the right direction. Change has occurred in the last couple of decades. Nevertheless, there is still a need for change. Making sure the rules and regulations fits the majority of the workforce (Dwoskin, 2010). The laws as it stands are bias to more than half of American citizens. The standard needs to be regardless of the number of employers has on a payroll, they all should have the opportunity to have access to the (FMLA). The Regulations need to be as simple as a book for a third grader. If you can read you should be able to understand how to take a proper family medical leave. Other states have plans that work to pay people for leaves. Using the same technique is a wise thing to do for the government. The definition of family needs changing because the family does not mean just mother, father, sons, and daughters. The range of household is a full word. Grandparents, grandchildren, in-laws, grown children aunts, and uncles are people we all might have to nurse back to health one day or just be there while they are on their death bed. Although, amending the Family Medical Leave Act is time-consuming and it takes a lot of political and public support But, it is worth the time and effort for all of the working public (National, 2016)..

References

Bell, Lissa,& Lenhoff Donna R.(n.d.). Government Support for Working Families and for Communities:. Retrieved from National Partnership for Women & Families:

http://www.nationalpartnership.org/research-library/work-family/fmla/fmla-case-study-lenhoff 54(3), -bell.pdf

Cadrain, D. (2009). LEAVE LAW SPURS POLICY CHANGES. HR Magazine, 54(3), 47-48.

Dwoskin, L. B., & Squire, M. B. (2010). FMLA BOOT CAMP: REGULATORY AND CASE LAW DEVELOPMENTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT. Labor Law Journal, 61(1), 37-51.47-48.

Labor, U. D. (n.d.). Wage and Hour Division (WHD). Retrieved from Wage and Hour Division History. https://www.dol.gov/whd/about/history/whdhist.htm

Ludden, j. (. (2013, February 5). FMLA A No Really Working for Many Employees. [Public Radio Broadcast]. Ssouth Carolina, us.: npr.

http://www.npr.org/2013/02/05/171078451/fmla-not-really-working-for-many-employees?ft=1&f=1001)

NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR WOMEN & FAMILIES. (2016, June). Retrieved from Up Dating th2016e Family and Medical Leave Act.

http://www.nationalpartnership.org/research-library/work-family/fmla/updating-the-fmla.pdf