Family Medical Leave Act Violations: Don’t Be a Victim

There may come a time when your work life and your family responsibilities get in the way of one another. While it’s your job to figure things out, there is help to be had. For example, you may be eligible for leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

If you have reason to believe you can take advantage of FMLA, it’s important to learn more about the system, including how to request time off and the impact it will have on your life.

Are You Covered by FMLA?

Unfortunately, FMLA is not available to all employees. Instead, there are particular requirements you must meet, with these among the most basic:

You must have a history as an employee with the company for a minimum of 12 months
During the 12 months leading up to your request for FMLA leave, you must have worked a minimum of 1,250 hours
The employer must employee a minimum of 50 workers within a 75 mile radius of the worksite.

Not everyone meets these requirements, but many people find that they do.

Here are the types of things you can request FMLA for:

To care for a newborn child
To prepare for the birth of a child
To plan for or take care of an adopted child
To care for a spouse, parent or child with a serious health concern
To care for a personal health concern

Depending on the type of health condition, you may need to receive medical certification. You can work closely with your medical team to receive this.

Don’t Forget to Give Notice

Even though you may be eligible for FMLA, it doesn’t mean you can simply stop showing up at work.

Instead, do your best to give as much advanced notice as possible, as this allows your employer to plan for your time away from the job.

In the event that you don’t qualify for FMLA, you can learn more about other options, such as paid time off, unpaid time off and sick days.

If, for any reason, your employer retaliates as a result of your FMLA request, learn more about your legal rights. You should never lose your job or receive a demotion for attempting to take advantage of the benefits provided by this law.