Leave Law

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Leave law compliance made manageable: we advise employers on the FMLA, the ADA, and state leave statutes so you can handle leave requests, intermittent absences, and reinstatement without tripping over overlapping rules.

Leave law is where federal, state, and local rules pile on top of each other and a single employee absence can implicate three statutes at once. We help employers sort out the FMLA, the ADA, and state and local leave requirements so you grant what the law requires, document what you decide, and keep the workplace running while staying out of trouble.

FMLA Eligibility And Administration

The Family and Medical Leave Act creates real obligations the moment an eligible employee needs leave. We advise on eligibility and hours-worked calculations, serious health condition certification, intermittent and reduced-schedule leave, and the reinstatement right that follows. We also help you write FMLA policies and train the people who administer them, so determinations are consistent and your designation notices go out on time.

ADA Accommodation And Leave

Leave does not end when FMLA entitlement runs out, because the ADA can require additional leave as a reasonable accommodation. We guide you through the interactive process, help you assess undue hardship honestly, and document the back-and-forth so a later disability claim does not catch you flat-footed. We draw the line between accommodation you owe and indefinite leave you do not.

State And Local Leave Laws

State and local leave mandates keep multiplying: paid sick leave, paid family leave, pregnancy and parental leave, and jurisdiction-specific accrual and carryover rules. We map the requirements that apply to your workforce, reconcile them with federal leave, and build company policies that satisfy the most demanding rule rather than guessing wrong in a single location and inviting a penalty.

Attendance And Return To Work

Protected leave collides constantly with attendance policies and performance management, and that intersection is where employers get sued. We help you administer no-fault attendance and return-to-work programs so protected absences are not counted against employees, fitness-for-duty exams stay lawful, and discipline for genuine attendance problems remains defensible. The goal is fair management that does not become a retaliation case.

Frequently asked questions

The Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for qualifying family and medical reasons. It applies to employers with 50 or more employees, and an employee qualifies only after working at least 12 months and 1,250 hours for you.

Many states go further than the FMLA, with lower employer-size thresholds, more qualifying reasons, paid leave requirements, or longer leave periods. You have to comply with both federal and state law, and where they differ, you apply whichever rule is more favorable to the employee.

The ADA requires reasonable accommodations for disabilities, which can include a modified schedule or even leave itself as the accommodation. The FMLA provides leave for serious health conditions. Both can apply to the same situation at once, so analyze your obligations under each rather than assuming only one is in play.

The FMLA allows intermittent leave when it's medically necessary. You can require medical certification, track how the leave is used, and temporarily move the employee to an equivalent position that fits the intermittent schedule better. What you can't do is deny leave that qualifies.

There's no federal paid sick leave mandate, but many states and cities require it, with different accrual rates, caps, and usage rules. You have to comply with every applicable law, so track your obligations in each location where your employees actually work, not just where you're headquartered.

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