FMLA - What You Need to Know

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was enacted to protect worker's job security. Many employees think that it guarantees that they will be paid if they are off work for illness or medical issues. It does not, and it only applies to companies have have 50+ workers.  So let's say that your company does provide this.  When can you use it?

Employees can use it for maternity/paternity leave, medical procedures for themselves or to care for a family member; adoption, etc.  You have 12 weeks of unpaid leave available.  This may be used together, or intermittently.  Say you have a medical procedure and are able to come back to work in 2 weeks, but will have follow-up doctor appointments.  As long as the appointments are related to your medical procedure, it can be covered under FMLA.

For starters, contact your HR department and let them know you need FMLA.  You must have worked 1250 hours in the last year to qualify and been employed by your company for one year.  You should be given paperwork (HR loves paperwork!) which will include a doctor's certification form.  Your doctor must fill this out--but caution--doctors often charge for doing this, and you have to pay; your medical insurance won't pay for this service.

Now you need to know that not all HR departments know how to do FMLA correctly.  That is too bad, because it is part of their job and usually no one else wants to wade through the law to understand it.  So you need to understand your rights under FMLA.  I'm posting a link to the U.S. Department of Labor that can help--check it out BEFORE heading to HR just in case they don't know what they are doing--believe me, some don't!