The U.S. Department of Labor unveiled a new online tool,  the “Medical-and Disability-Related Leave Advisor,” to help employees and employers understand the medical and disability leave to which employees may be entitled to manage medical conditions and disabilities. 

The new tool asks users a few questions, such as type of business or organization, workforce size and if the entity receives federal financial assistance; with that information, the advisor quickly directs users to federal employment laws that apply and provides additional information. 

These laws include the Family and Medical Leave Act which provides eligible employees of covered employers up to 12 work weeks of leave in a 12-month period for certain reasons, among them the employee’s own serious health condition; and the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability nondiscrimination laws, under which leave may be considered a reasonable accommodation.

The leave advisor is one of a series of Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses Advisors the department provides to help employers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities under federal employment laws.