Family Medical Leave Bill filed by Sen. Bong Revilla

Re-elected Senator Bong Revilla, Jr. on Monday filed the Family Medical Leave Act, believing that it will help ease the burden of millions of Filipino employees with family members suffering from serious illness.

Under this Act, a legitimate employee working in any government office or private institution will be given 15 days leave with compensation in a year to personally look after any member of his or her immediate family which includes his or her mother and father, children, spouse, and parents-in-law.

"Siyempre, hindi natin masasabi kung kailan magkakasakit ang sinuman sa pamilya natin. Sa ngayon, walang batas na nagbibigay ng leave sa mga empleyado para alagaan ang kaanak nilang may malubhang karamdaman. Kung maisasabatas ang Family Medical Leave Act, mabibigyan na ng pagkakataon ang mga kababayan natin para alagaan ang kanilang kapamilya ng hindi nag-aalala na mawalan sila ng sweldo at trabaho," said Revilla.

Revilla believes that compensation for employees on leave to look after their family members with serious illnesses will help them ease their worries during that very difficult time.

Legitimate employees qualified to avail of the Family Medical Leave should have worked for 12 months and accumulated 1,250 working hours, except for employees working in an agency with a workforce of less than 50 individuals are not entitled to this leave.

Since it is non-cumulative, the FMLA cannot be carried over to the succeeding year if unused in the previous year.