Eligibility for Medical Leave Under the FMLA

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) permits eligible workers to take up to 12 weeks per year of unpaid leave for medical reasons—either their own or those of an immediate family member. In the case of personal medical leave, an employee is entitled to leave for medical conditions that constitute “serious health conditions” and that make an employee unable to perform the functions of his or her position. The FMLA statute defines “serious health condition” as: “an illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care or continuing treatment by a health care provider.” The statute does not further define “inpatient care” or “continuing treatment.” Nor does the statute further define the phrase “unable to perform the functions of the position.

Flyer

The flyer of the Meeting the Needs of Today’s Families: The Role of Workplace Flexibility event held May 1, 2006

Selected Events on Workplace Flexibility in the Federal Government

Selected events on Workplace Flexibility in the federal government from the event: Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing held April 30, 2008 for Workplace Flexibility 2010

Savannah, Georgia

Highlights from Savannah, Georgia

An Overview of Early Laws Increasing Access to Flexible Scheduling and Reduced Hours in the Federal Workforce

The Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act (FEFCWA) authorizes, but does not require, agencies to offer alternative work schedules to employees. FEFCWA permits employees to designate non-traditional arrival and departure times, centered around core agency hours, and to experiment with four-day workweeks or other compressed schedules. Under the law, implementation and employee utilization of alternative work schedules depends on management support and leadership

Introduction

On December 1, 2006, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued a Request for Information (“RFI”) seeking public comments on the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). The RFI was divided into three sections. Part I provided a summary and background of the FMLA, existing DOL regulations, legal challenges, and related issues. Part II described twelve specific topics about which the DOL sought comment.Part III discussed a 2000 Westat Report that estimated the number of employees and employers covered under the FMLA and the number of employees who used the FMLA. According to the DOL, over 15,000 comments were submitted in response to the RFI

Letter of Invitation

A letter of invitation to the 2008 conference for grantees of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation\u27s Workplace, Work Force, and Working Families Program hosted by Workplace Flexibility 2010

Statements Illustrating the Legislative Intent of These Laws

Based on statements in the legislative history, these laws were meant to provide: Overarching Benefits in the Current Economy Benefits to Families Benefits to Management Equality for Women Protection of the Environmen

Extended Time Off Overview

Workplace Flexibility 2010 defines Extended Time Off (EXTO) as time taken off from work for a single reason that extends for more than five days but less than one year. EXTO may be brief in nature (e.g., a few weeks), when taken, for example, for a vacation, to recover from minor surgery, or to comply with a public health quarantine request. EXTO may also be longer in nature (e.g., a month or more), when taken, for example, for maternity/paternity purposes, for elder care, for military duty, or for a sabbatical from work. EXTO (either brief or prolonged) may be unpaid (e.g., when taken under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)) or paid (e.g., when taken under California’s paid family leave law or under an employer’s benefit plan). EXTO is distinguished from other extended absences from the workplace by two primary variables. With EXTO, an employee wants to and/or expects to be able to return to his/her original job; and an employee wants to and/or needs wage replacement during the time off

A Sampling of Workplace Flexibility Laws and Programs for Military Personnel

A variety of laws, policies, and programs govern the availability and utilization of workplace flexibility in the military as an employer for both service members and civilians. This document provides examples of those laws, policies, and programs, categorized by the type of flexibility governed