Work is important, but nothing is more important than your health, your family, and the health of your family. The law recognizes this and provides certain employees the right to take up to 12 or 13 weeks of unpaid leave for the arrival of a new child through birth, adoption, or foster care, to care for a family member who is suffering from a serious health condition, to deal with the employee’s own serious health condition, or for a qualifying exigency relating to a family member’s covered active duty. Employees may also take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for certain family members who are covered servicemembers.

During your leave, you are entitled to continued health benefits (for which you will still be required to pay) and, when the leave is over, to reinstatement to your job. Your boss cannot prevent you from exercising your rights, or discriminate or retaliate against you for requesting or taking leave.

Federal and state leave law is complicated. If your right to leave is being impeded or you have been discriminated or retaliated against for requesting or taking leave, you need to contact Enright Law.