The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a law in the United States that allows eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. The FMLA is designed to help employees balance their work and family responsibilities by allowing them to take reasonable unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons. Some of the reasons that workers may take leave under the FMLA include:

• The birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth;
• The placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to bond with the newly placed child within one year of placement;
• To care for the employees spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition;
• A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job;
• Any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employees spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on "covered active duty".

Under the regulations, employees continue to be able to use FMLA leave for any period of incapacity or treatment due to a chronic serious health condition.