Many of us know that the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a law that guarantees eligible employees to be able to take leave, with no threat of job loss, for up to 12 work weeks, and that the leave weeks may be taken consecutively or leave may be intermittent.  We may know this, but do our managers?

Wouldn’t it be nice if FMLA requests were timely and employees were providing the 30-day advanced notice for foreseeable leave that is required under FMLA?  Maybe we can get there; we just might need to be educating our managers about the law.  Here are a few tips to share:

Who is eligible?

Employees must have worked for the employer for a minimum of 12 months and 1,250 hours during the last 12 months, and have:

• Their own serious medical condition; or,
• An immediate family member with a serious medical condition; or,
• The birth or adoption of a child; or,
• A spouse, child, or parent called to active duty.

How do I know if someone should get FMLA leave paperwork?

• An employee disclosed one of the eligibility conditions listed above (pregnancy, medical condition, etc.)
• We learn of an eligibility condition through any other means, such as:
  • An emergency occurs
  • Another employee learns of the condition and discloses it
  • An employee is absent 3+ days in a row
  • An employee has an overnight stay in a hospital or other medical facility

Who do I contact to determine if an employee should get FMLA leave?

Always notify HR immediately of any FMLA request.  If you are unsure whether an employee should get FMLA leave paperwork, notify HR.

Leave Management is a time-consuming task, and at Purple Ink, we want you to be effective and do your best every day.  Please share this knowledge with your management team and they can help you get ahead in the medical leave arena.  If you just do not have the time or resources to devote to efficiently handling your FMLA needs, reach out to Purple Ink or me directly.  I’d love to be that extension of your team and tackle leave management one request at a time, and help educate managers too!