According to the law, inadequate job security exists for employees faced with serious health conditions that affect them or a family member. The law covers employees who have worked for the employer for at least 12 months and for at least 1,250 hours during that 12-month period. The 12 weeks of leave need not be taken all at once. The law includes several provisions that reduce the burden on the employer. The employer is not required to continue benefits while the employee is on unpaid leave, but benefits gained before the start of the leave must continue. The law excludes the highest paid 10 percent of the employer's workforce form the right to unpaid leave if granting the leave would create a substantial economic hardship to the employer. The employer can require certification from a physician that a valid necessity exists for the 12-week leave. If the employer violates the terms of the law, employees are eligible for damages. The amount depends on whether the violation was intentional or unintentional.