56% of U.S. Employees Were Eligible for FMLA Leave in 2018
The Fact
In surveys commissioned by the U.S. Department of Labor, 56% of U.S. employees surveyed in 2018 were eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. A smaller share of low-wage workers were eligible. Two-thirds of employees who received partial or no pay while on leave reported financial difficulty.
What This Means
Almost half of workers have no federal right to job-protected leave at all.
Why It Matters
The workers least able to go without pay are also the least likely to be covered.
Sources
U.S. Department of Labor. Employee and Worksite Perspectives of the FMLA: Results From the 2018 Surveys (one-page summary). https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OASP/evaluation/pdf/FMLA%20Report%20OnePager.pdf