http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/
Not every employer is required to comply with this act. Even those that are required to comply find formal and informal ways to go around this act and/or "punish" employees for taking leaves. One example of a "punishment" is the fact that women with family responsibilities have an extremely difficult time getting promotions and climbing company ladders. Men with family responsibilities are also "punished" because having family responsibilities is seen as "women's work." Men who prioritize family are sometimes made fun of and not given certain opportunities because they "aren't go-getters who take their career seriously."