STATEMENT OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR’S REPORT ON FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE

WASHINGTON, D.C—Today, the Department of Labor issued a report on its Request forInformation on the Family and Medical Leave Act regulations. Senator Kennedy, Chairman ofthe Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, a long-standing advocate for the rightsof working men and women to have time off from their jobs to care for themselves and theirfamilies, released the following statement. “The Family and Medical Leave Act has enabled millions of Americans to care for their sick orinjured family members without fear of losing their jobs. In today’s report, the Department’sreport recognizes what workers across the country know – that the law works extremely wellin meeting the needs of working families. The Department should recognize that it is vital toenforce and vigorously defend the current protections. There is no justification for usinganecdotes the Department has solicited to weaken protections for vulnerable Americans withchronic or serious illnesses.” ###