Good News on FMLA

From today's On Balance column by Leslie:

Last week, before Congress recessed for August (the "Summer District Work Period" is how it's described on the U.S. House of Representatives Calendar), the Senate approved an expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow the family of wounded military personnel to take up to six months of unpaid leave without losing their jobs. Current law -- the same that allows for unpaid maternity leave -- allows only 12 weeks. One of the more heart-wrenching back stories of the war has been families forced to choose between caring for injured veterans (often in military hospitals far from home) and keeping their jobs.

Hope that makes it into law. And while I think it's a particularly good idea for military families, I don't see any huge downside to making this available to all. (Employers may now commence howling.)