The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has given final approval to a request by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to initiate a new round of surveys designed to collect information from both employees and employers about their experiences under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Since the FMLA was enacted in 1993, DOL has conducted three previous “waves” of surveys on the practical impacts of the law on both employers and employees. The agency’s announced goal in conducting a “Wave 4” survey is to build on previous information collection efforts, and update and expand the evidence about FMLA use and leave-taking experiences. DOL has not yet announced when the actual survey will commence.
DOL’s intent is to complete 2,000 employer surveys, and participation is voluntary. In order to help employers prepare to respond if they are contacted to participate, we prepared a brief guide to the survey’s history and methodology.
Copies of the Wave 4 employer and employee surveys are available here.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC) can read more here.