Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Training
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was passed in 1993 and expanded in 2008. It guarantees employees a certain amount of unpaid annual leave for medical reasons, the birth or adoption of a child, exigencies related to a family member's active-duty military service, or caring for a relative who suffered serious injuries or illnesses during military service. In addition, employers generally must maintain insurance coverage for employees who are on FMLA leave and must reinstate them to the same or equivalent job positions when their leave concludes.
Familiarity with the FMLA is important for two reasons. First, knowing the eligibility requirements and reinstatement policies will help your company minimize the disruption caused by employees who must be absent from work for family or medical reasons. Second, failing to abide by the provisions of the FMLA can expose a company to significant legal liability.
For example, in 2002 an Illinois jury awarded nearly $12 million to a man who claimed that his employer retaliated against him for taking FLMA leave to care for his parents. Moreover, the FMLA is often used in combination with other laws to mount claims for "family responsibility discrimination." Such suits rose from 97 cases in 1996 to 481 in 2005, according to a recent study.
Program Summary
The purpose of this program is to explain the most important provisions of the FMLA and related regulations. The topics covered in the program include —
- An overview of the FMLA
- The scope and coverage of the FMLA
- Leave entitlement
- Defining a "serious health condition," "covered servicemember" and "qualifying exigency"
- Certification of a serious health condition and a call to active duty
- Notice requirements
- Continuation of benefits
- Job restoration
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Download Program Summary
