Legal Definitions - family leave

Definition: Family leave refers to an unpaid break from work that an employee takes to care for a newborn baby or a sick family member.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for certain family reasons. This law applies to businesses with 50 or more employees.

Examples:

• An employee takes family leave to care for their newborn baby.
• An employee takes family leave to care for their sick parent.

These examples illustrate how an employee can take family leave to care for a family member who needs their help. The employee is not paid during this time, but their job is protected under the FMLA.