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MSUE Administrative Handbook: Human Resources
 

 
SUBJECT:
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
 
 
POLICY:
Eligible employees are allowed to take unpaid leave, or paid leave if earned, for a period of up to twelve work weeks in any twelve month period (defined by MSU as the fiscal year, i.e., July 1 through June 30) in the event of the birth of a child or the placement of a child for adoption or foster care; because the employee is needed to care for a family member (child, spouse or parent) with a serious health condition; or because an employee's own serious health condition makes them unable to do their job.   Health and dental benefits, if enrolled, will be maintained at the same level and under same conditions as coverage would have been provided if the staff member were continuously employed during the entire leave period.  The Act provides that this leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule.
 
 
APPLIES TO:
MSUE Provost-appointed staff and non-academic staff
 
 
ELIGIBILITY:
Staff who have regular appointments of nine months or longer and have been employed by MSU for at least twelve months are eligible under FMLA. Staff with temporary appointments of less than nine months who have been employed by MSU for at least 12 months and have at least 1,250 hours of service during the twelve months immediately preceding the commencement of FMLA leave are also eligible.
 
 
PROVISIONS/RESTRICTIONS:
 
 
  1. If the reason(s) for an employee's absence are not offered by the employee at the time of absence, supervisors seek out the reason(s) why an employee is not at work to determine the applicability of FMLA.
  2. Supervisors need to be able to recognize an FMLA qualifying event.
  3. The supervisor discusses the potential FMLA case with the MSUE staff member who is responsible for completion of that employee's paperwork, and others as appropriate, in order to determine the applicability of FMLA.
  4. The supervisor sends the FSU/FMLA Request for Leave of Absence Form and the Certification of Physician or Practitioner Form (if applicable) to the employee.
  5. The supervisor manages the absence of the employee.
  6. See http://www.hr.msu.edu/Docweb/pp/fmlapp.asp for MSU’s policy regarding FMLA (this site also includes “Frequently Asked Questions” http://www.hr.msu.edu/Docweb/fmlaguide.asp. )
  7. Questions can be directed to ANR Human Resources.
  8. Chart for how an employee requests a family or medical leave.  Family medical leave chart Click on it to see a full sized list.
 
 
DATE: January, 2005