These regulations were published in the Federal Register on Friday, December 3, 1999. The Department of Labor has issued regulations that would fundamentally reverse 65 years of Unemployment insurance history through a regulatory action while Congress is out of town. The Labor Department initially allowed a 45-day comment period on the proposal. This deadline has been extended 15 days, until February 2, 2000.
Time is of the essence.
Working for the Future, the FMLA Technical Corrections Coalition has made it easy to take action. UI protects workers who lose their jobs when the employer no longer has work available. UI benefits are payable only while the worker seeks new work and cease upon an offer of suitable work. By definition, workers on FMLA leave are not unemployed because they have jobs from which they have taken leave. Allowing workers on FMLA leave to collect UI benefits will hurt the unemployed by jeopardizing the solvency of the Unemployment Trust Fund.