Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

FMLA administration services are provided by The Standard Insurance (855-290-9479).

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible employees to balance their work and family life by taking up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain family or medical reasons.

FMLA provides that eligible employees are entitled unpaid scheduled leave for:

• Birth of the employee's child and bonding
• Placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care
• A serious health condition
• Qualifying exigency
• Service member family leave (up to 26 weeks in a 12-month period)

FMLA provides guarantees of job security and employee benefits continuation during the leave. This leave is unpaid; however, annual or extended illness leave may be substituted. This is not a separate leave program, but is integrated with other County leave policies.

Who's eligible for FMLA?

• Any exempt or classified status employee:
  • employed by the County for at least twelve (12) months
    (does not have to be consecutive)
  • worked at least 1,250 hours during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the commencement of the leave

How do employees request FMLA leave?

• Call The Standard Insurance toll free at (855) 290-9479.
  • In the call, Standard Insurance will advise if you need to have your physician complete a FMLA certification form.
  • Standard will approve/deny your leave and advise your supervisor.
• Submit leave requests using OPUS.
• See FAQs on Reporting FMLA Absences

How do I get paid during FMLA leave?

 

• If you have accumulated Extended Illness leave, it must be used for FMLA absences. (Extended illness leave accrual ended in 1994 but some long-time employees still have extended illness leave time in their leave bank.)
• You must use accumulated annual leave for FMLA absences if your annual leave bank contains more than 40 hours.
• Accrued compensatory leave may be used for FMLA absences according to the Comp Time Usage Policy .

More info:

• Quick Guide to FMLA - one-page summary
• Family and Medical Leave Handbook - detailed guide
• Contact Employee Benefits by email or phone at (727) 464-4570.

Return to top