UTU, BLET support FMLA improvements The UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen are jointly supporting a House bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to clarify eligibility requirements for railroad workers. The FMLA allows employees job-protected unpaid leave due to a serious health condition, or to care for a sick family member, or to care for a new child. To be eligible, employees must meet a minimum threshold of hours worked annually. The law, enacted in 1993, currently does not address the unique working conditions of railroad operating employees. Through no fault of their own, rail workers may not always meet the minimum qualifying criteria of 1,250 hours worked per year set forth in the current FMLA regulations. Under the proposed changes to the FMLA, the time that railroad operating crews are required to be available for work will be included in the total hours worked per year, thus making them more likely to meet the FMLA eligibility criteria. More specifically, the bill would allow employees to be eligible under the FMLA if the employee has worked at least 60 percent of the applicable total guaranteed time for the previous 12-month period; and has worked or been paid for not less than 504 hours (not counting personal commute time or time spent on vacation leave or medical or sick leave) during the previous 12-month period. H.R. 5944 was introduced July 29 by Representatives Tim Bishop (D-NY), Bob Filner (D-CA), Mark Critz (D-PA) and Steven LaTourette (R-OH). The bill is the result of joint efforts by the UTU and the BLET. The bill has been referred to the House Education and Labor Committee. UTU International President Mike Futhey and BLET President Dennis Pierce said the UTU National Legislative Office and BLET's congressional lobbyists are working to move this bill quickly through the House and Senate before Congress adjourns. To view bill H.R. 5944 in PDF format, click here.August 6, 2010
