The study will focus on the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 because it is the only family-friendly policy in the United States. It has received media coverage because it affects organizations' ability to force employees to give up privileges afforded by the law. Recently the US Labor Department (DOL) has signaled the possibility of changing how the law is practiced, which has developed new public interest during the coronavirus pandemic. The DOL resulted in requesting information by asking workers and businesses about updating the department's rules and guidance in applying the law that currently ensures beneficiaries receive up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to attend to personal or family medical emergencies. The media was interested in the FMLA news by the DOL because there is a possibility that the department can change the interpretation of the only family-friendly policy in the country. There are no biases in reporting expected changes in the application of FMLA. It is presented as a legal issue and a social issue that has shifted the perspectives of different stakeholders during the corona pandemic. The developments are either reported by mainstream media outlets or reputable business law review institutes (Hoffman et al., 2020). According to the media, working families should benefit from a national paid leave program such as the FMLA to sustain their needs during the pandemic (Penn, 2020). The news comes in the wake of the economic effects, which are expected to be prolonged, for most Americans. The report calls for action for organizations and the government to consider using FMLA to reach the most affected families during the pandemic. News about the changing application of FMLA targets policymakers across the United States. The reporting appeals to their ethos by showing how changing such a policy is beneficial for society. There are examples provided to show how other paid leave programs have worked in the past and their capacity to impact more American lives positively. At the same time, the desired changes in the application of FMLA, Gomes & Bethel (2020) make a compelling case about the impacts of ignoring the significance of using such a law to the advantage of Americans. Policymakers are the primary audience for the news coverage because they are expected to make laws that will enable Americans to cope during the pandemic. Employers are also the intended audience because their decisions affect parents' ability to provide for their children. After the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic became real, some employers changed their paid leave policies to reduce costs, which was a disadvantage to parents. Employers were allowed to change their paid leave policies by the DOL as long as there was no disparate impact on employees based on age, gender, race, or other protected characteristic. The national review shows that employers are the primary determinant of how FMLA policies are used. The discussion about the changing policies regarding the FMLA targets parents that work for organizations that allow such benefits. The media approaches the FMLA topic from an employee's perspective to gauge the law (Penn, 2020). It is also crucial for parents to understand how FMLA affects their ability to provide for their families. Most parents had not taken such leave before, and the COVID-19 epidemic has taught them valuable lessons (Penn, 2020). As such, they must understand the various aspects of the possible changes in the application of FMLA. The FMLA reporting is presented with reliable facts and figures that shed more light on the family policy. The national review provides precise details about when the family policy and accompanying facts in the form of questions and answers (Hoffman et al., 2020). Reading the questions and answer facts reveals facts about the application of the law in the workplace. There are enough details in the questions and answers section to understand the applicability of the law. There are more facts than figures, which is enough for readers to know how the law will be applied. Surprisingly, there is not much media coverage in the media about FMLA, and their opinion on the family policy is not well presented. Only a handful of media outlets have reported about the issue, which signals that most people are not familiar with the law. The media has also presented a few opinions on the matter because the ongoing COVID-19 crisis overshadows the policy issue. Gomez & Bethell (2020) present their views about the FMLA by discussing the fate of furloughed employees before the pandemic, making them lose their paid leave. By giving their opinion, they show the sensitivity of family policies on the working population. The media provides readers with an opportunity to make their own decisions about the policy by providing details about the various aspects of the law. Gomez & Bethell (2020) allows their audience to form their opinions by inciting the reader to visualize about their responsibilities in ensuring that FMLA and fair work practices should be changed for the maximum benefit of the worker. However, other media outlets are not as effective as the two editors. The different forms of media have different ways of presenting their information. The first difference between the sources is how the titles have been presented. Internet sources use short and catchy phrases that make it easier to browse and identify the required information. The electronic source has presented a lot of information that seems designed for adept readers. The two sources of information use different techniques to give information about FMLA and relevant changes in policies. The policy issue might affect families' ability to make it through the current pandemic, especially when parents start panicking. Without paid leave, more families will be exposed to the damaging effects of changing paid leave in allowing the employers to save costs. Families might also feel insecure when they find that there are no policies that require employers to provide paid leaves during the current pandemic. The national review explores the applicability of FMLA by interpreting the law and relevant policies on paid leave (Hoffman et al., 2020). The Bloomberg Law explores how the DOL has responded to suggested policy changes regarding family policies. In the fortune, the authors have provided important details about the policy change and effects on some workers during the ongoing pandemic. The current limitation of the authors cited is that no employer is forced by the law to provide workers with paid leave. Furthermore, employers can choose to change their paid leave programs to cut down costs. The media should have concentrated on applying the FMLA in the past and comparing current applications during the pandemic to allow readers to know its impact. I would have presented such a policy by asking the opinions of employees that have benefited from the FMLA before and during the current pandemic. The new thing I have learned from the policy is that it is the friendliest family policy and is set to become even better. The new thing that I have learned from how the media covers issues relating to families is their appeal to logic and the reader's emotional response.
References
Gomez, J., & Bethell, K. (2020). To beat COVID-19, working families need a national paid leave program. Retrieved 30 July 2020, from https://fortune.com/2020/07/10/coronavirus-paid-family-sick-leave-federal-law/https://fortune.com/2020/07/10/coronavirus-paid-family-sick-leave-federal-law/
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Hoffman, C., Kaplan, D., & Kopp, J. (2020). DOL Issues New Guidance on COVID-19, the FFCRA, the FMLA and the FLSA. Retrieved 30 July 2020, from https://www.natlawreview.com/article/dol-issues-new-guidance-covid-19-ffcra-fmla-and-flsa
Penn, B. (2020). DOL Request Suggests Overhaul of Family, Medical Leave Rules (1). Retrieved 30 July 2020, from https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/dol-request-suggests-overhaul-of-family-medical-leave-rules
