Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
10 Unit 1 Learning About Human Services
Today, human services professionals work in government, private
businesses, places of worship, hospitals, schools, and throughout
communities. New programs continue to be developed to help meet
people’s needs.
Reading Recall
1. Define the term ideology.
2. Identify two factors that influenced the formation of human services.
3. How did Mary Richmond’s philosophy of helping the poor differ from Jane
Addams’ philosophy?
4. Name three world events that helped shape human services in the US.
5. How did the New Deal impact human services?
6. Which part of the federal government administers and oversees programs
and services concerning health and welfare?
Do workers have the right to take time off work
to care for family members? It depends. They
always have the choice, of course. The right to
not be terminated in the event of taking a leave
for family reasons, however, varies.
In the US, the Family and Medical Leave Act
(FMLA) enables employees to take job-protected
leave to care for family members in need. Fam-
ily members that the law covers involve close
family members, such as spouses, children, and
parents. FMLA became law in 1993. This act
gave many families the flexibility to care for their
loved ones in times of need. In 2008, the law was
expanded to include care for military family mem-
bers, especially when returning from deployment.
Examples of circumstances when the FMLA
could provide coverage include
• the birth and care of the newborn child of the
employee, for both mothers and fathers;
• the placement with the employee of a son or
daughter for adoption or foster care, for both
mothers and fathers;
• care for an immediate family member
(spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health
condition; and
• medical leave when the employee is unable
to work because of a serious health condition.
Not all employers are required to comply. Gen-
erally, however, government, public education,
and companies employing 50 people or more
are included. Eligible employees are those who
have worked for a covered employer for at least
12 months. During this time, they must also have
worked at least 1,250 hours. They must also work
at a location where the employer has at least 50
employees within a 75-mile radius.
Qualified employers must grant an eligible
employee a total of up to 12 workweeks of unpaid
leave during any 12-month period. Even so, work
and family issues require thought, planning, and
flexibility.
Writing Activity
Write a one- to two-page scenario in story
form about a fictional family that qualifies for
taking leave under the FMLA. When writing
your story, consider the following:
• How might taking a leave affect the
employee positively? negatively?
• How might taking a leave affect the employer
and coworkers positively? negatively?
• In what specific ways might taking a leave
under the FMLA positively affect the family?
FMLA Eligibility
Law and Ethics