FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT FMLA What is FMLA

FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA)

What is FMLA? • 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons or military duty • 26 weeks to care for a recovering service member

Eligibility • All regular Academic/ Administrative, Managerial/ Professional and Office/Service employees with an FTE of. 50 or greater are eligible, as are all other employees (including temporary and graduate student employees) who have worked for the University for at least one year, and for 1, 250 hours over the previous 12 months.

The leave is used for • Birth or adoption of a child • Employee’s own serious health condition • Care for a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition • Under University policy – death in the immediate family

Leave usage • Leave accruals (sick, vacation, compensatory time) may be used for employees to remain in a paid status • FMLA is not a separate leave type

The Process It is the responsibility of the employee to communicate dates, etc. with their supervisor throughout • UNK Request Form • Medical Certification • Release . Step 2 Determination • Employee is sent Designation Form (approval, denial, or more information needed) Step 1 Employee Request • Supervisor is sent an email informing of the approval • The employee provides a medical return to work release to the Office of Equity and Compliance • The supervisor will receive an email including any medical return to work restrictions. Step 3 Employee Return

Step 1 - Employee Request Three forms make the request • UNK Request Form* • Internal form; Employee completes; supervisor and dean/director signs • Documents supervisor awareness (dates, leave used, general purpose for leave) • Medical Certification* • Completed by medical provider • Provides guidance to the approximate amount of time needed for event • Release* • Collected as a matter of process • Allows the Office of Equity and Compliance to communicate with medical provider IF NEEDED & ONLY as it pertains to work *These forms are available by contacting Lisa Mendoza Klingelhoefer in the Office of Equity and Compliance. *Return completed forms to Lisa in the Office of Equity and Compliance.

Step 2 - Determination • Employee is sent Designation Form indicating § Approval § Denial § More Information Needed • Upon approval, supervisor is sent an email informing of the approval § Information that may be shared is included: dates, longevity, etc. § Specific medical information is kept confidential

Step 3 - Employee Return to Work • Two steps for the employee’s return § Medical Return to Work Release is provided to the Office of Equity and Compliance Ø Maintains the confidentiality of medical information Ø Provides for consistency in applying return to work restrictions across job families Ø Helps avoid injury or re-injury upon return to work § Supervisor is provided with an email including: Ø Return to work date Ø Any medical work restrictions

Employees are responsible for • Communicating leave specifics, including any changes, to the supervisor/department according to department policies • Completing the forms • Obtaining the necessary approvals/signatures • Returning the completed forms to the Office of Equity and Compliance • Submitting leave requests (sick, vacation, comp time, etc. ) in ESS/Firefly • Contacting the benefits office, if needed (i. e. payment arrangements, insurance changes) • Providing the medical return to work note to the Office of Equity and Compliance prior to returning to work

Supervisors should be on the lookout for • Requests of five sick days or more and an email has not been received regarding FMLA approval o Encourage employee to contact Office of Equity and Compliance if they have not already done so. o Contact the Office of Equity and Compliance to inquire if the employee has made a request • The employee providing doctor’s notes or medical return to work releases to you. o DO NOT accept. Request that the employee bring any medical information to the Office of Equity and Compliance. • The employee saying they are returning to work and you have not received the email containing the return to work information. Employees may not return to work until medically released!

Questions may be directed to: Lisa Mendoza Klingelhoefer mendozalm 2@unk. edu (308) 865 -8404 Mary Chinnock Petroski petroskimj@unk. edu (308) 865 -8400 Office of Equity and Compliance Warner Hall, Suite 2113 http: //www. unk. edu/about/compliance/index. php