What employers must know about the Family and Medical Leave Act

On Behalf of | Nov 3, 2017 | Employment Litigation |

Most people, at some point in their lives, encounter a medical problem or need to take time off work because of demands from the family. Therefore, as an employer, you will have to deal with the issues that relate to employee rights and the subjects raised in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

It is important as an employer to make sure that you are giving your employees what they are entitled to; therefore, you should be well aware of the rights that your employees have to prevent any employment litigation that it is possible to face.

What leave does FMLA allow?

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) says that employees are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period. This means that it is not permissible for an employer to deny an employee unpaid leave for this amount of time if it is for a legitimate family or medical related issue.

What paid leave are employees entitled to under FMLA??

In some circumstances, employees can be entitled to paid leave, although it is not under FMLA in which they would receive these rights. These paid leave days could be taken as vacation days or sick days. Employers are entitled, however, to demand that employees use up all of their paid leave days before claiming their FMLA unpaid leave days.

As an employer, it is important to stay up-to-date with the rights of employees so that you can manage human resources in an adequate way. In this way, you can prevent employee litigation in the future.

Source: US News, “Employers guide to medical disputes,” accessed Nov. 03, 2017

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