Family and Medical Leave Act at Enterprise Rent a Car

Abstract

Enterprise Rent a Car is a company which complies with the minimum requirements of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) went into effect on August 5, 1993. FMLA provides employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave within a 12 month period during which their jobs are protected. With FMLA, an employee’s job restoration is guaranteed unless the employee is unable to perform the essential functions of the job. The following study will discuss the impetus of the Family and Medical Leave act and how it evolved from organized labor activity to more widespread application at Enterprise Rent a Car.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), was created to benefit families where both husband and wife work, the growing importance of both parents being present in early childhood development, and inadequate job security for people with serious health conditions. There are costs involved with the FMLA as well, however, ideally this law has promoted family integrity, enabled parents to take care of their children after birth, and most importantly has helped secure employment for unhealthy people. In 1993, the FMLA became a federal law which required employers with 50 or more employees (and public companies of any size) allow employees to take unpaid leave to care for ill family members and to return to the same position or to a substantially similar position following the leave. The implementation of this Act was designed to be equitable to both the employee and the employer, which has made it a win-win proposition for both. Some of the benefits an employer reaps from this Act are they are able to retain a valuable employee, as well as displaying good faith, and shows a willingness to work with their employees. If an employer and an employee possess a good relationship they both can work out a flexible work schedule that can be intermittent or consecutive. Another benefit an employer could offer is to substitute paid leave instead of the unpaid leave, which would be a nice enticement and job benefit.

Enterprise Rent a Car, makes these provisions for leaves of absence both paid and unpaid, by recognizing the personal situations that an employee may make a leave necessary. Enterprise employees are entitled to a total of up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for the following purposes:

• the birth of a son or daughter of the employee and the care of such son or daughter;

• the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care;

• the care of spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee who has a serious health condition; or

• a serious health condition of the employee that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her positions.

At Enterprise Rent a Car, this leave can be used to care for a newborn or newly adopted child, to care for a seriously ill spouse, child or parent, or to take care of one’s own serious health condition. Health benefits are maintained by Enterprise Rent a Car during this leave, but premiums paid may be recovered under limited circumstances if the employee does not return to work. At Enterprise Rent a Car, employees are required to use personal, vacation and sick leave before using leaves under this law. When an employee requests leave, Enterprise Rent a Car then becomes responsible to designate the leave as an FMLA leave. This is done by via a letter to the employee. If the employer fails to do so, the leave may not be counted toward fulfillment of the employer’s 12 week FMLA obligation.