Description of the FMLA - Assignment Example

This is an Act by the US Department of Labor that entitles all eligible employees of employers who are covered to take up leave that is unpaid but job-protected due to family and medically specified reasons. When this takes place, the health insurance coverage for the group continues based on equivalent terms as nonetheless, the worker had not taken leave. In this Act, an employee is entitled to 12 weeks or twenty-six weeks of annual leave, depending on the nature of their family and medical engagement (Aitchison & United States, 2003).

The likely cause for the 12 weeks leave are such as when the employee gives birth and has to take care of that child; is under placement for a child as a foster; seeks to care for their spouse, child or family member with serious medical conditions; the employees themselves are seriously ill and cannot discharge their duties normally; or when there is a succeeding exigency arising from the circumstance that the employee’s spouse or child is actively covered with the military. For the 26 weeks leave, may arise when an employee seeks to attend to a spouse or child seriously injured and is a covered service member (Aitchison & United States, 2003).

This Act can affect an organization’s operations in two dynamic ways. First, the organization would need to reinstate the employee to their original position or a similar one should they return to work after the leave; thus, likely to affect the firm’s productivity. Second, the company would be required to continue offering medical coverage for the employee, despite being away on leave. Finally, with this new Act, the organization is required to put up posters at all places that inform the employees of its contents, which may be costly to the company.