Everyone gets sick and sometimes those illnesses are catastrophic. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other illness can leave you or a family member bedridden. Sometimes to recover, long-term care is needed. Nurses are expensive. Many family members want to take care of their loved ones but are afraid to take the time off work. The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave within a year to care for themselves or loved ones who have catastrophic illnesses or injuries. Before the law passed, anyone needing family and medical leave had no assurance that their job would still be waiting on them when they returned. The FMLA requires employers to allow the employee to return to the same job or a job that has a comparable rate of pay and responsibilities. The employer also has to maintain the employee’s benefits while they are on leave.