Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Federal and State Laws

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA):

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, employees are allowed 12 weeks each year to care for the serious health condition of an employee,, their spouse, child, regardless of whether or not the child is natural or adopted, or other family member.

Under the California Family Rights Act, domestic partners are allowed to take the 12 weeks each year to attend to each others medical issues. California state labor laws allow employees to now receive partial wage replacement up to 6 weeks of leave.

Under California Labor Code Section 233, sick leave is not mandated. In fact, sick leave is similar to vacation time and holiday pay laws in that it is something that an employer may choose, at its discretion, to give its employees. However, if employers in California offer employees a sick leave policy, the employee must be given the option of using it as family leave.