What must be included in an FMLA request?

Employees in Wisconsin who wish to take leave from their jobs might be able to get paid time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act. Not all types of leave are covered nor do they all result in paid leave. Also, employers are not always required to inform their workers if they qualify for medical leave or family leave. Employees who understand the process of and how to provide their employer with notice might be more likely to get the leave they want.

Employees are allowed to notify their employers of leave requirements in writing or verbally. The responsibility for giving employers enough information to determine whether a leave request might be covered by the Act lies with the employee. This type of information might include that a person needs to go on leave due to a medical condition or that time off is necessary to care for a family member. The duration required and when an employee has to leave are also important things to tell an employer.

when asking for more leave due to a situation that was previously approved, an employee has to let their employer know that he or she is needing to go on FMLA leave or mention the original reason. Employers are then supposed to make inquires about the matter and figure out if the leave request is covered under the Act. If circumstances change while employees are out on leave they should notify their employers. This might include being able to go back to work earlier than expected or having to stay away longer.

Making a request for FMLA-qualifying leave is not a guarantee that an employer will comply. Workers having difficultly getting their employer to give them the time off they need or whose employer is trying to delay leave unnecessarily might gain assistance from an attorney who has experience in employment law matters.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, “Fact Sheet #28E: Employee Notice Requirements under the Family and Medical Leave Act “, October 07, 2014

Archives

FindLaw Network