Mobilizing for family leave

The National Partnership for Women & Families recently launched a yearlong online campaign to give people who have used the Family & Medical Leave Act a way to share their stories at www.thanksfmla.org. On the 15th anniversary of the law, the first national policy to help workers meet the dual demands of work and family, and with the U.S. Department of Labor pushing regulations that could scale back its protections, the campaign is designed to mobilize tens of millions of Americans.

The law guarantees eligible employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year, but nearly 40 percent of workers are not eligible because they work for businesses with fewer than 50 employees or are part-time or new employees.