Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave a year, and requires group health benefits to be maintained during the leave as if employees continued working. Miami requires all employees to utilize their leave balances (vacation, sick leave, personal leave) while on FMLA. Employees are also entitled to return to their same or an equivalent job at the end of their FMLA leave.

See MUPIM (or AFSCME and FOP agreement, if applicable) for policy details.

Eligibility

To be eligible for leave taken under the FMLA, an employee must have worked 1,250 hours during the 12 months prior to the date of application for the leave and have worked for the employer for 12 months.

The employee must give notice thirty (30) days from the date that the leave is to begin, or if that is not possible, whatever is "practicable". Practicable is defined as "as soon as possible and practical depending on the facts and circumstances of the situation." An employee who cannot provide a thirty (30) day notice should provide notice "either the same day or the next business day" that the need for leave is known.

Types of FMLA

Specific leave: leave for a specific period of time to return to work (example: surgery).

Intermittent leave: occasional need for leave (examples: physician appointments, physical therapy, and flare-ups).

Application Process and Timeline

  1. Complete and submit the online FMLA Request form. Employee will receive an email confirmation of submission with employee instructions and responsibilities. 
  2. While your physician is completing the Medical Certification, your FMLA status will be pending for up to 15 calendar days from the date of application. If you have not received a confirmation letter within 20 days, contact the appropriate office.

Re-Certification

  • You are required to re-certify your FMLA for ongoing conditions every six (6) months. 
  • Dates of approved FMLA are in your approval letter.  
  • As the employee, you are responsible for keeping track of your approved leave and submitting your re-certification request at least thirty (30) days prior to expiration.


U.S. Department of Labor FMLA Employee Guide

As part of the Departments continuing effort to spread the word about the FMLA and make the FMLA more accessible, WHD is releasing an Employee Guide to the FMLA, a 16-page, plain language booklet designed to answer common FMLA questions and clarify who can take FMLA leave and what protections the FMLA provides.

FMLA Questions?

Classified and Unclassified Staff, contact Craig Martin (513-529-2684). The FMLA fax number is 513-529-2686.

Faculty and Unclassified Academic Staff, contact Bess Sprocket (513-529-7268).

 

Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 Related Absences

Please report COVID-19 related illnesses and/or absences to the Miami University Electronic Absence Reporting tool.

For additional information on how the FMLA applies to all other COVID-19 related absences, see https://www.dol.gov/.

Covid-19 Leave Information