February 6, 2013 was the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Family and Medical Leave Act.  In celebration, the United States Department of Labor released the results of a survey on the law’s use and impact.  According to the DOL, the survey shows that the “FMLA continues to make a positive impact on the lives of workers without imposing an undue burden upon employers,” and that both employers and employees find it “relatively easy to comply with the law.” The survey also concludes that “misuse of the FMLA is rare.” 

In addition to publishing the survey, the DOL issued a final rule implementing the law's protections to families of veterans and airline flight crews and making other clarifying changes.  Finally, the DOL published new forms for employers to use when seeking certification of serious health conditions or when designating eligibility, among other things.  As before, use of the forms is optional.