YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT OF 1993 POSTER

FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave to “eligible” employees for certain family and medical
reasons. Employees are if they have worked for a covered employer for at least one year, and for 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months, and if there are at least 50 employees within 75 miles. The FMLA permits employees to take leave on an intermittent basis or to work a reduced schedule under certain circumstances.

Reasons For Taking Leave:
Unpaid leave must be granted for any of the following reasons:

• to care for the employee’s child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care;
• to care for the employee’s spouse, son or daughter, or parent, who has a serious health condition; or
• for a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the employee’s job.

At the employee’s or employer’s option, certain kinds of paid leave may be substituted for unpaid leave.

Advance Notice and Medical Certification:
The employee may be required to provide advance leave notice and
medical certification. Taking of leave may be denied if requirements are not met.

• The employee ordinarily must provide 30 days advance notice when the leave is ''foreseeable.''
• An employer may require medical certification to support a request for leave because of a serious health condition, and may require second or third opinions (at the employer's expense) and a fitness for duty report to return to work.

Job Benefits and Protection:

• For the duration of FMLA leave, the employer must maintain the
  employee's health coverage under any ''group health plan.''
• Upon return from FMLA leave, most employees must be restored totheir original or equivalent positions with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms.
• The use of FMLA leave cannot result in the loss of any employment
  benefit that accrued prior to the start of an employee's leave.

Unlawful Acts By Employers:
FMLA makes it unlawful for any employer to:

• interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of any right provided under FMLA:
• discharge or discriminate against any person for opposing any practice made unlawful by FMLA or for involvement in any proceeding under or
  relating to FMLA.

Enforcement:

• The U.S. Department of Labor is authorized to investigate and resolve complaints of violations.
• An eligible employee may bring a civil action against an employer for
  violations.

FMLA does not affect any Federal or State law prohibiting discrimination, or supersede any State or local law or collective bargaining agreement which provides greater family or medical leave rights.

For Additional Information:
If you have access to the Internet visit our FMLA website: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla. To locate your nearest Wage-Hour Office, telephone our Wage-Hour toll-free information and help line at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243): a customer service representative is available to assist you with referral information from 8am to 5pm in your time zone; or log onto our Home Page at http://www.wagehour.dol.gov.

U.S. Department of Labor
Employment Standards Administration
Wage and Hour Division
Washington, D.C. 20210