March 8 Deadline: Companies Must Comply with Changes to Family and Medical Leave Act

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On March 8, 2013, American businesses with at least one employee will be required to display updated signage reflecting the changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

“Both our large and small business customers appreciate the value we provide by keeping them informed, prepared and compliant. For small businesses, compliance violations are not only a hindrance, but a serious threat to the livelihood of owners and employees.”

“It is very important that business owners and corporations are made aware of the new regulations and the posting requirements that go along with them. Those that fail to update their current federal posters will be in violation of the law and could face fines,” said Mark Haag, vice president of the Federal Wage and Labor Law Institute (FWLLI), the largest U.S. employer labor law poster provider. FWLLI supplies All-in-One Labor Law posters to more than 70,000 companies across the nation.

In February, the U.S. Department of Labor amended the FMLA to revise the definition of "Veteran" to include recently discharged service members, allowing certain family members the opportunity to take unpaid, job-protected leave in order to care for these people. The revision also includes a clarification of the difference between “Serious Injury or Illness” for a service member or veteran and “Serious Health Condition."

While the provisions affect personnel, the changes also require updated signage to ensure businesses are in compliance with workplace posting requirements to avoid costly fines.

FWLLI’s 70,000 customers include Sonic, Barnes and Noble, Kmart, Sears, AutoZone and Public Storage. "Both our large and small business customers appreciate the value we provide by keeping them informed, prepared and compliant. For small businesses, compliance violations are not only a hindrance, but a serious threat to the livelihood of owners and employees."

The Federal Wage and Labor Law Institute’s full array of services and information about poster requirements in all 50 states is available online at www.fwlli.com or by calling 1 [phone] (U.S. and Canada), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CST).