Convoy February 9, 2007.
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is under attack by employers-and they're getting a hand from the Bush Administration. The Department of Labor is seeking comments from workers and employers about proposed changes to Family and Medical Leave Act regulations. They need to hear from us-and soon. The deadline for comments is Feb. 16 at 5 PM.
Employers have been pushing for changes to water down the FMLA for a long time. Now they're getting their chance.
Employer groups are using the DOL comment period to push for changes that would gut the FMLA. For example:
. Make it harder for workers to qualify for a "serious health condition."
. Require employees to produce a doctor's excuse every time they use intermittent leave.
. Water down protections that restrict employers from contacting our doctors.
. Make it easier to deny family medical leave.
Although the DOL says it will be fair and objective, this is the same agency that revised overtime regulations just a few years ago to take away overtime rights from many employees. If we want to protect our rights, we've got to make our voices heard.
Employer groups will be flooding the Department of Labor with comments about how employees abuse the FMLA. It's up to union members to provide real stories from real people whose families and jobs were saved because they were able to use FMLA-or whose health or jobs were compromised because they were denied the opportunity to use it.
Tell the Department of Labor your stories: send an e-mail or letter today! Otherwise, the only voices heard will be of those who want to see FMLA weakened.or eliminated completely.
Comments can be e-mailed to whdcomments at dol.gov or can submitted in writing to:
Richard M. Brennan Senior Regulatory Officer Wage and Hour Division, Employment Standards Administration U.S. Department of Labor Room S-3502 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20210.
Comments can also be faxed to (202) 693-1432. Remember, all comments must be submitted by Feb. 16 at 5 PM.
http://www.tdu.org/Convoy/convoynewhtml/fmlaunderattack.htm
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm