According to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), employees can receive a certain amount of unpaid leave to deal with serious medical issues. This act provides up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave every year, as well as access to employer-provided health insurance during the leave.
There are many reasons why workers may request FMLA leave. Here are a few common issues that can arise during the course of a person’s employment.
Qualifying conditions
Health problems affecting loved ones is a very common reason to request leave from an employer. You can request leave for childbirth, both for the medical aspects and to bond with your new baby after they are born. Leave is also available to people who have recently adopted a new child. You can request it if a family member has become seriously ill. If you have a loved one who is a member of the military and becomes seriously ill, FMLA leave also applies. In this case, the leave period extends to 26 work weeks as opposed to 12.
Serious health conditions
In addition to the above qualifying conditions, a worker can also request leave if they experience a major health issue. This includes issues that cause incapacitation for more than three days in a row and entail ongoing treatment to keep managing the health problem. FMLA also covers chronic conditions that require treatment twice or more a year, as well as pregnancy. Overnight hospital admittance is also covered.
There are also eligibility requirements to consider when requesting leave. For example, the worker must have worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months and worked for their employer for at least 12 months.
