FMLA, We Need to Talk

 

 

Chris:

Aside from Candace’s angry uterus, we try to ramble about all things family building.  Please forgive us as we climb on a soap box for a second and get all politicky on ya.  For many, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has been a valuable asset for starting or building a family.  There are mandates for granting job security-assured absences for the birth of a child.  Kind of makes sense to have this right?  Uhm, you just had a child and beyond your whole world being turned upside down, you will biologically go through changes not related to the new sleep schedule.  This all makes sense and should be.  HOWEVER, there are a few loop holes in the FMLA.  We will talk about a few of them over the next couple of months as they become relevant.  Here, Candace talks about one of those loop holes, or misses in coverage, that needs to be addressed.  The best part is, you can be a part of that change. 

 

 

Candace:

Chris and I sadly have far too many people who we love that had their lives turned upside down and rocked by loss of their child. This past October we did a series on Infant and Child Loss Awareness. Today, a very dear friend (for those who follow our blog may recall: Remembering Riley) sent me an email. I was absolutely stunned after reading it. Just like we are facing dropped jaws and bug-eyes when we tell people about adoption and IVF treatments, those dealing with infant loss also walk on ground the everyday person never will.  They deal with the same misconceptions, same well-intended and terribly executed comments, and the same lack of benefits that those in mainstream family building experiences enjoy. FMLA is a great example of this.  In that e-mail, the total absence of coverage for those couples who experience still birth losses was an unfathomable oversight in my honest opinion.  What the hell are those A-holes on capital hill thinking and how can we correct this?  There is a petition being sent around to introduce Parental Bereavement leave as an amendment to FMLA (The Farley Kluger Initiative).  So, click the link, sign the petition, and share this like the flu in a kissing contest.

 

One more chance to click the link to the petition.

 

Other good resources for those who have experienced infant loss: