Prior to the Family and Medical Leave Act , workers in the United States didn't have any protection under the law for family or medical-related leave. That meant that your boss could legally fire you for taking time off to care for your kids, yourself or a sick relative.

The impetus for the law came after the formal recognition that "t he lack of employment policies to accommodate working parents can force individuals to choose between job security and parenting," and that " due to the nature of the roles of men and women in our society, the primary responsibility for family caretaking often falls on women."

The law ensures 12 weeks of unpaid leave for all U.S. workers for every 12-month period to care for themselves or a loved one. Although women were at the forefront of this fight, it allowed all workers to acquire much-deserved time off for caretaking.