The FMLA has greatly benefitted several people in my life, including my own mother when she was caregiving for my grandmother. In interviewing her for this post, she stated “It gave me peace of mind and protected me from losing my job. I had accrued enough overtime hours so I could continue to get paid while I was not at work.”

When my grandmother was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, my mother was overwhelmed with accompanying her to doctor’s appointments, advocating for her, and attending to her own needs as a caregiver. She went on to say “in business, we are all ‘replaceable,’ so the FMLA protects us in the basic way of at least having a job. I knew [my mother’s] life was limited and I also had to be available for my other family members, so I made sure to accrue overtime hours at my workplace in preparation.”

My friend Kat W. benefitted meaningfully from the job protections conferred by FMLA when her partner was undergoing chemotherapy for leukemia. In my interview with her, she said “I was burnt out from trying to juggle work and caregiving. It was such a relief when I finally made the decision to take leave – and my boss was totally supportive.”

Time off from our demanding jobs when our loved ones are seriously ill can give us the mental space and energy to establish a self-care routine. Kat went on to say “during leave, I was able to start exercising again and found a therapist. I felt better knowing I was prioritizing my self-care and asking for what I needed after putting myself last for so long.”