There are a number of discussions happening lately about updating handbook provisions and social media policies to ward off a suddenly over-zealous National Labor Relations Board. And this advice certainly is well taken.
As you review and revise these policies, consider also taking a look at your FMLA policy, and specifically, how you calculate your
Remember a few months back when I warned employers to be wary of eliminating the position of an employee who days earlier requested several weeks off for surgery?
Let me take that advice one step further: if an employee informs you that she needs leave to undergo a hysterectomy, don’t tell the employee it’s “not
Take Bob. He is a machine operator. Bob suffers from back and leg pain as well as bouts of anxiety. As a result, he typically visits with his physician every couple of months and is on prescription medication. He’s been approved for intermittent FMLA leave as a result of his serious health condition(s).
On September
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a 16-page FMLA guide that the DOL says is “designed to answer common FMLA questions and clarify who can take FMLA leave and what protections the FMLA provides.” Entitled “Need Time? The Employee’s Guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act,” the Guide apparently was
On Wednesday, June 27 (tomorrow!), the Department of Labor will host a complimentary webinar to assist employers and employees in better understanding the Family and Medical Leave Act. According to the DOL’s press release highlighting the webinar, it believes “too many workers don’t know about their rights under the FMLA and fail to take advantage
Here’s a question from the client inquiry line this past week, and it pops up often enough that I figured I would share:
Q: An employee on maternity leave contacted us two months into leave that she will not be returning to work at the end of FMLA leave (which now is one month away).
In a recent post, I discussed an employer’s obligation to designate leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act even though the employee did not want it to be classified as FMLA leave.
The post generated considerable feedback and some follow-up questions. I wanted to highlight one of those questions. One of our blog followers (see right
Q: One of our employees will be absent for a serious health condition. However, the employee prefers to use his accrued sick days instead of FMLA leave. He has enough sick time to cover the absence. In this situation, can the employee choose not to take FMLA leave, either because he has not specifically asked
Employers beware: Just when an employee gives you the left jab, look for the right hook. The combination of the two, as far as the Family and Medical Leave Act is concerned, can knock employers out. As evidenced by a recent federal court case, an employee may be able to add up two medical conditions
There must be something in the water. Over the past few months alone, I have reviewed a number of employers’ policies and correspondence regarding an employee’s return to work from a leave of absence. What has been surprising to me is the number of employer policies that require an employee to return from leave with