How many employees must an employer have to be subject to FMLA policies?

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) stipulates that an employer must have 50 or more employees for the provisions of the law to apply. This threshold is crucial because FMLA is designed to ensure that employees of larger organizations have access to job-protected unpaid leave for specific family and medical reasons.

The requirement for 50 employees means that small businesses with fewer than this number are not obligated to provide FMLA benefits, reflecting the law's intent to apply to larger workplaces that can absorb the potential economic impact of employee leave. This 50-employee requirement is clearly defined in the regulations governing FMLA, making it a cornerstone in understanding compliance obligations related to employee leave.

In contrast, the other figures given—49, 25, and 75—do not satisfy the requirements established by FMLA for coverage. Therefore, the correct answer is based on the established legal threshold set to ensure that employees in qualifying organizations can avail themselves of family and medical leave protections.