The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 is a United States labor law that provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for certain family and medical reasons. The law also requires employers to maintain group health coverage during the leave and to guarantee the same or an equivalent job upon return to work. The FMLA applies to both public and private sector employers who have 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius.