Under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for the following reasons. FMLA coverage runs concurrent to paid and unpaid time.
- The birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care.
- To bond with a child (leave must be taken within one year of the child’s birth or placement).
- To care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a qualifying serious health condition.
- For the employee’s own qualifying serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the employee’s job.
- For qualifying exigencies related to the foreign deployment of a military member who is the employee’s spouse, child or parent.
An eligible employee who is a covered service member’s spouse, child, parent or next of kin may also take up to 26 weeks of FMLA leave in a single 12-month period to care for the service member with a serious injury or illness.
An employee does not need to use leave in one block. When it is medically necessary or otherwise permitted, employees may take leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule.
While employees are on FMLA leave, the university must continue medical, dental and vision coverage as if the employees were not on leave.
Upon return from FMLA leave, most employees must be restored to the same job or one nearly identical to it with equivalent pay, benefits and other employment terms and conditions.
For questions about FMLA leave eligibility, refer to the FMLA Roadmap, consult this list of frequently asked questions in the Leaves of Absence Toolkit, or contact the Human Resources Solutions Center.
To submit a request for FMLA coverage, please submit a ticket with the Human Resources Solutions Center.
FMLA Certification Forms:
FMLA Time Tracking Bank (effective May 1, 2021)
Effective May 1 for monthly and May 2 for bi-weekly, all Michigan Medicine departments will be required to open an FMLA case with the Human Resources Solutions Center (HRSC). Failure to do so will result in the employee’s inability to record FMLA time on their timesheets.
Once the case is approved, the HRSC will notify the employee and supervisor of the frequency and duration of FMLA coverage that is approved. Also, the new FMLA tracking bank will appear on the employee’s M-Pathways timesheet, similar to how extended sick banks appear. The FMLA bank will show the maximum amount of hours an employee could have access to in their benefit year, prorated by appointment. However, the employee should only use the approved amount of hours. Departments are still responsible for tracking and monitoring their employee’s FMLA approvals and usage. The FMLA Tracking Calendar Tool is a great resource to track these hours.
FMLA time should be reported as ‘FMT’ (FMLA Tracking – Mich Med) on the M-Pathways timesheet and will be accessible once the time bank is added for the employee. This time reporting code does not represent paid time. Employees and departments will still be required to enter the appropriate paid or unpaid time codes that correspond to the FMLA usage. (i.e. ESF, PTS, MRL/PRL, etc.)
Learn more about the new FMLA time tracking bank by watching this recorded webinar, or viewing these FAQs.