Managers Responsibilities for FMLA
In certain circumstances management may need to start the FMLA process without employee initiation. Please contact Employee Relations for guidance.
Templates for all letters can be located at the HR website under ‘Forms and Documents.’ If you Ctrl + click on the underlined forms, you will be taken to the ‘Forms and Documents’ section of the main HR webpage.
- When a supervisor receives a Leave of Absence Request letter or verbal request, make sure that the employee has a copy of the Leave Request for Employee’s Medical Condition or Leave Request for Family Member’s Medical Condition. Send the employee a written acknowledgement that you have received the request for leave. The form is called Notification of FMLA designation to be sent to Staff Member upon Leave Request. Under NO circumstances should any member of management in your department ask for or accept either form – they need to go directly to Occupational Health.
- Once Occupational Health and Employee Relations have reviewed the employees’ FMLA request, they will e-mail the supervisor one of the following forms:
- Request for Additional Information Form. Hand deliver to employee or send via certified mail (return receipt requested). The employee must have their physician or family member’s physician complete missing information and return it to Occupational Health.
- FMLA Determination Form marked ‘Denied’ or ‘Non-Qualified Medical Reason. Hand deliver to employee or send via certified mail (return receipt requested) the FMLA Letter to be Used When Leave is Not Approved.
- FMLA Determination Form marked Approved. The nature of the leave time will determine which type of leave letter should be created. Either the FMLA Approval Letter for Chronic or Intermittent Leave or FMLA Leave Approval Letter will be handed to the employee or sent via certified mail (return receipt requested).
- Send Payroll a PAF placing the employee on FMLA. If they have time in their accrual banks they will be on paid status. Once they have exhausted their accruals you must send in another PAF placing them on unpaid status.
- Begin tracking FMLA time used with the Family & Medical Leave Utilization form. Send these completed tracking forms to Employee Relations once a month. Keep internal records for your department.
- Employee’s returning to work from a continuous medical leave for their own illness must have the doctor complete the FMLA Request to Return to Leave of Absence form. This information should be forwarded Occupational Health.
- Contact your Employee Relations Representative if the employee has exhausted the full 12 weeks of FMLA and needs additional time off. (Note: TPLA allows for up to 4 months for childbirth or adoption.)