Leave of absence laws are governed by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 ("FMLA") which was enacted by the U.S. Department of Labor ("DOL"). The FMLA applies to all state and local public agencies including education agencies and private-sector employers who employ at least 50 people. The FMLA allows eligible employees to take a temporary leave of absence for a number of reasons including illness in their immediate family, pregnancy, birth or adoption, military service and other personal reasons. Additionally, the leave of absence laws under FMLA provide 26 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for employees caring for a family member who was injured while serving on active military duty. Leave of absence laws are constantly changing, and as of January 16, 2009, employers will have to adhere to additional federal laws that have been enacted under FMLA. Moreover, most states have their own leave of absence laws that act as an additional protection to employees in areas such as family leave of absence laws, disability regulations, and employee compensation issues.