The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) authorizes eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons (H.R. 1, 1993). This policy allows for a total of 12-weeks of leave within a 12-month period. While this may be sufficient in terms of time off, it is still unpaid. Compared to other nations, the United States still lags behind on providing benefits and protections for employees who have taken on the role of caretaker (Arellano, 2015). This white paper will explain how employees benefit from paid maternity/paternity and family medical leave
