Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, eligible employees may take up to how many weeks of leave for birth or adoption of a child?

• A. 6 weeks
• B. 12 weeks
• C. 26 weeks
• D. 52 weeks

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave within a 12-month period to handle the birth or placement (adoption) of a child. This 12-week limit is what protects the employee’s job and allows them time to care for a new child, while still retaining health benefits under the same terms. The 12-week maximum applies specifically to birth or adoption; other categories under FMLA use different time amounts—such as up to 26 weeks for caring for a service member—not for birth or adoption. So, the maximum for birth or adoption is 12 weeks.