January 2023 Benefits Buzz: FMLA Information

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Information

What is FMLA?

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees with a limited amount of unpaid, job-protected leave when the employee has a qualifying event. Employees using FMLA must intend on returning to work at the end of the leave.

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible for FMLA you must have a qualifying event and have been employed with PCSD for 12 months or have worked 1250 hrs within a rolling year, preceding the first day of the leave requested for FMLA.

What is a Qualifying Event?

Circumstances for which FMLA leave may be requested include: new baby

Birth of a child or care for a newborn child (12 weeks maximum).

Placement in your home of a child for adoption or foster care (12 weeks maximum).

Your own serious health condition (12 weeks maximum).

To care for your spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition (12 weeks maximum).

Qualifying exigency – leave where a spouse, son daughter, or parent of the employee is on active or ordered to be called to military duty in the Armed Forces. (12 weeks maximum). Appropriate documentation is required.

Service Member Care Leave – An employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin of a covered service member or veteran. (26 weeks maximum in a 12-month period).

Do I have to use my own leave while on FMLA leave?

All leave balances must be used concurrently with any FMLA time off. FMLA will run concurrently with STML. Because PCSD is an educational facility, intermittent FMLA leave cannot be supported. FMLA will be approved continuously for 12 weeks.

Returning From FMLA

Prior to returning from extended leave, the employee must provide the necessary documentation and report to the Human Resource Department before returning to work. Employees must report to work immediately upon expiration of granted leave or at the time identified by a doctor’s release. If leave is granted and an employee on leave does not return from leave on the day indicated on the employee’s original application or in an approved extension, the employee will be disciplined according to District policy.

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