Dear E-Team member.

As you are probably aware the Dept. of Labor is in the process
of making rules changes with respect to the Family and Medical
Leave Act. You are urged to go to the APWU web site and follow
the instructions on how to submit a comment opposing these
changes. You will also find an analysis of the proposed changes
and how they will affect postal workers if adopted.

Among the anti-worker regulations presented by the Department of
Labor:
• Employees with chronic conditions could be required to see
their doctors more frequently than the current one time per
year. Employees would have to pay for the extra visits out of
their own pockets.
• Employers could authorize anyone they choose to demand
information to support FMLA absences; under the current rules,
employees are required to share medical information only with
medical professionals.
• The proposed rules would widen the discretion of low-level
supervisors to force employees to seek second medical opinions —
at the employees’ expense— to determine the facts of a
“diagnosis or prognosis.” Under current rules if those facts are
unclear, the cost of a second opinion is charged to the
employer.
• Employees who typically work overtime could be charged
overtime hours as FMLA leave during their absence. In other
words, they risk using FMLA protection at a faster rate.
The APWU is reviewing the proposed regulations and will file
formal objections within the 60-day public comment period. The
Labor Department is expected to publish final recommendations
before the end of the year.
We only have until April 11, 2008 to submit comments so ACT NOW!

You can also go directly to the DOL portal and submit your
comment by clicking on the link included in this message.

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComment&o=09000064803abfe7

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