What does the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allow employees to do?

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is designed to protect employees' rights to take time off from work for specific family and medical reasons without the fear of losing their job. Under FMLA, eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave within a 12-month period to care for a newborn, a newly adopted child, a family member with a serious health condition, or to address their own serious health condition. The key aspect here is the job protection it offers; employees can take this leave without risking their employment status or job position.

This legislation ensures that when employees return from their leave, they are entitled to be reinstated to their original position or an equivalent one, maintaining their benefits and seniority. Thus, the correct answer highlights this fundamental purpose of the FMLA, emphasizing the protection it provides for employees during times of significant personal or family medical need.