The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a year. Health benefits are also maintained. Once back to work, the employee returns to the same or equivalent position.
What Are Qualifying Reasons?
Leave can only be approved for specific qualifying reasons. If those conditions are not met, the employee is not guaranteed to be placed back into their original job. Here are the reasons that someone would qualify for leave under this act.
- Birth and care of an employee’s newborn baby
- Pregnancy complications
- Placement with an employee for an adopted or foster child
- Care of an immediate family member due to a severe illness
- Experience of a serious illness by the employee
Who Is Eligible for FMLA?
In addition to a qualifying reason, an employee must meet specific requirements to be eligible for leave. These include:
- Having been employed for at least one year
- Having worked at least 1,250 hours in a year
- Working for a company that has at least 50 employees within 75 miles
Employees won’t have to worry when severe illness strikes since FMLA will protect their job. They can focus on getting well or assisting their family member.
