Final 2012 Midwinter Reportx
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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION SECTION OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL LABOR STANDARDS LEGISLATION 2012 MIDWINTER MEETING REPORT Submitted by: SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT William Bush James M. Paul Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, the Cumberlands Smoak & Stewart, P.C. 9 S. Jefferson Ave., Suite 102 7700 Bonhomme Ave., Suite 650 Cookeville, TN 38501 St. Louis, MO 63105 [email protected] [email protected] Senior Editor: Sarah Smith Kuehnel Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. With Contributing Authors: Steven Anderson Emily P. Harbison Julie Pulkrabek Maria A. Audero Wendy Harrison Katherine E. Reeves Joshua Bortnick Emiko Hayashi Joanne Rinardo Michael Bowling Darla Hill Susan Salzberg Megan Brennan Wayne Landsverk Gregory M. Sato Amy R. Brown Fredrick C. Leffler Brian M. Schwartz Abby J. Clark Bradford LeHew Lauren Shine Matthew Disbrow Brian Lerner Lydia Sigelakis Cathy Duclos Meredith Lopez Bonnie Smith Douglas H. Duerr Michelle Mahony Jennifer Stair Glenn A. Duhl Vanessa Marzan Kirsten Staples Scott R. Eldridge Amy Melican Stephanie L. Sweitzer Allegra L. Fishel Ryan Morgan Amanda Wachuta Robert Fried Brenna Nava Dorman Walker David Gevertz Jeff Nowak Kalin Walker Andy Goldberg Laura O’Donnell Christina Webb Keith Greenberg Dorothy Parson Chris Williams Richard J. Hammett Bridget Penick Jennifer Williams The editors would also like to thank Meredith Lopez, Alicia Christ, and Portia Bryant for their considerable assistance in organizing, assembling, and producing this report. 2012 Mid-Winter FMLA Report i The Table of Contents for this Report follows the current outline of the treatise on the Family and Medical Leave Act, which is jointly published by the American Bar Association and the Bureau of National Affairs . TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. HISTORY, STRUCTURE, AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE FMLA..............................................................................................................1 I. OVERVIEW................................................................................................... 1 II. HISTORY OF THE ACT............................................................................... 1 A. Early Initiatives......................................................................................................1 1. The Parental and Disability Leave Act of 1985.......................................... 1 2. The Parental and Medical Leave Act of 1986 ............................................ 1 3. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1987 .............................................. 1 4. The Parental and Medical Leave Act of 1988 ............................................ 1 5. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1989 .............................................. 1 6. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1991 .............................................. 1 B. Enactment of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 .................................1 1. The 103rd Congress.................................................................................... 1 2. Congressional Findings............................................................................... 1 C. The 2008 Military Family Leave Amendments (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008) [New Topic]........................................1 D. The 2009 Military Family Leave Amendments (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2010) [New Topic].........................................1 E. The 2009 Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act [New Topic] ...........1 III. PROVISIONS OF THE FMLA...................................................................... 1 A. General Structure ..................................................................................................1 B. Provisions of Title I................................................................................................1 C. Effective Date .........................................................................................................1 D. Transition Issues ....................................................................................................2 1. Effect on Employer Coverage and Employee Eligibility ........................... 2 2. Effect on Leave in Progress on, or Taken Before, the Effective Date........ 2 IV. REGULATORY STRUCTURE OF THE FMLA.......................................... 2 A. The DOL’s Regulatory Authority ........................................................................2 B. Development of the Interim and Final Regulations............................................2 1. Chronology of Regulatory Development.................................................... 2 a. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking......................................................2 b. Interim Final Regulations ................................................................2 c. Final Regulations.............................................................................2 d. 2009 Regulations [New Topic]........................................................2 i. Revisions to the 1995 Regulations [New Topic]................ 2 ii. “Qualifying Exigency” Leave [New Topic]....................... 2 iii. Military Caregiver Leave [New Topic] .............................. 2 2. Judicial Deference to the DOL’s Regulations ............................................ 2 a. Interim Final Regulations ................................................................2 b. Final Regulations.............................................................................2 2012 Mid-Winter FMLA Report ii V. THE ROLE OF THE DOL IN ADMINISTERING AND ENFORCING THE FMLA ............................................................................................................ 2 A. Administrative Action ...........................................................................................2 1. Initiation of Administrative Complaints..................................................... 2 2. DOL Investigation ...................................................................................... 2 a. Investigation Authority....................................................................2 b. Subpoena Power...............................................................................3 3. Resolution of Complaints ........................................................................... 3 4. Posting Violations....................................................................................... 3 a. Appealing a Penalty Assessment for a Posting Violation................3 b. Consequences of Not Paying the Penalty Assessed.........................3 B. Enforcement Action...............................................................................................3 1. Actions by Secretary of Labor.................................................................... 3 2. Actions for Injunctive Relief ...................................................................... 3 C. Wage and Hour Division Opinion Letters...........................................................3 VI. THE COMMISSION ON LEAVE................................................................. 3 CHAPTER 2. COVERAGE OF EMPLOYERS..................................................................4 I. OVERVIEW................................................................................................... 4 II. PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS............................................................... 4 A. Basic Coverage Standard ......................................................................................4 B. Who Is Counted as an Employee..........................................................................4 1. Location of Employment ............................................................................ 4 2. Payroll Status.............................................................................................. 4 3. Independent Contractors............................................................................. 4 III. PUBLIC EMPLOYERS.................................................................................. 4 A. Federal Government Subdivisions and Agencies................................................4 1. Coverage Under Title I ............................................................................... 4 2. Civil Service Employees............................................................................. 5 3. Congressional and Judicial Employees....................................................... 5 B. State and Local Governments and Agencies .......................................................5 IV. INTEGRATED EMPLOYERS...................................................................... 8 V. JOINT EMPLOYERS..................................................................................... 9 A. Test ..........................................................................................................................9 B. Consequences........................................................................................................11 C. Allocation of Responsibilities..............................................................................11 VI. SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST.................................................................... 11 A. Test ........................................................................................................................11 B. Consequences........................................................................................................11