This past December, the Department of Labor quietly turned its FMLA enforcement over to a new leader. After the retirement of FMLA Branch Chief Diane Dawson, who led the DOL’s FMLA enforcement for several years, the DOL turned to longtime DOL FMLA policy guru Helen Applewhaite to head up the agency’s FMLA efforts. (DOL doesn’t
Department of Labor to Increase Frequency of FMLA On-Site Investigations
For employers who have been involved in an FMLA investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, the process can be a bit of a head-scratcher because no two investigations look the same.
The FMLA investigation often starts with a somewhat mysterious phone call from a DOL investigator identifying him or herself as such.
DOL Publishes PowerPoint Presentation to Help Train Employees about FMLA
This week, I had the privilege of presenting on the “Nuts and Bolts” of the FMLA with Department of Labor Branch Chief for FMLA, Diane Dawson. Our presentation was part of an FMLA/ADAAA compliance conference hosted by the Disability Management Employers’ Coalition (DMEC). [My unsolicited opinion: DMEC is a fabulous non-profit organization devoted to
DOL’s New Employee Guide to the FMLA Issued: What’s the Impact on Employers?
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a 16-page FMLA guide that the DOL says is “designed to answer common FMLA questions and clarify who can take FMLA leave and what protections the FMLA provides.” Entitled “Need Time? The Employee’s Guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act,” the Guide apparently was