McKeon Sings Praises for New FMLA Regs

November 14, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - U.S. Representative Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-California), the senior Republican on the House Labor Committee, commended Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao for her work in revising the 15-year-old Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

The regulations to be published Monday (See DoL to Publish Final FMLA Regs ) will implement new protections for military families, update the FMLA in response to various court cases that modified the law’s application, and alleviate widespread confusion among workers and employers about the FMLA’s protections, according to a McKeon statement.

“While the FMLA has generally worked well for workers needing time off work to care for a newborn or tend to illness among workers or their families, it is clear that the law was in need of updates to reflect the realities of today’s workplace,” said McKeon, in the statement. “The Department of Labor has a responsibility to ensure workers and employers understand their rights and responsibilities under the law. These regulations offer clarity and certainty, and will vastly improve the workability of the FMLA.”

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