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Leave

Reinstate employees right after leave; don’t delay

12/01/2004
Issue: Employees’ right to immediate reinstatement when returning from leave covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Risk: Any delay in returning employees to their jobs after FMLA …

Tell ‘key employees’ right away if denying job reinstatement

11/01/2004
Issue: FMLA lets you deny post-leave reinstatement, in some situations, to highly paid “key employees.” Benefit: That provision can shelter your organization from …

Start ‘leave meter’ running at first absence

11/01/2004
Issue: When does FMLA leave begin? How soon do you need to notify employees on leave? Benefit: A new court ruling clarifies that those 12 weeks begin with the first …

Combat absenteeism caused by flu-shot shortage

11/01/2004
Issue: Experts are predicting a sharp rise in flu victims this winter due to the unexpected shortfall in flu vaccines. Risk: More absenteeism and …

You can place some conditions on employees’ FMLA leave

10/01/2004
While you can’t base firing decisions on an employee’s decision to take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave, that doesn’t mean you’re powerless to act against employees who flaunt your …

Notify ‘key employee’ right away if denying reinstatement to job

10/01/2004
Employees who take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are usually guaranteed reinstatement to their jobs. But one key exception exists: You can designate a class of highly …

Employees can’t claim retaliation if they’re not FMLA-eligible

10/01/2004
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protects employees against retaliation for taking FMLA leave. But a recent court decision makes clear that employees retain these rights only if they’re actually …

Review past practices to judge FMLA leave request

10/01/2004

Q. We’re a 24/7 office. Some employees rotate shifts, but our night employees typically work the same shift. After one of our employees gave birth, she asked to be placed on the night shift. We granted her request, but now she says medical reasons require her to be off for five days in a row. We put her back into the regular shift rotation, but she claims her FMLA rights are being violated and wants all employees to rotate shifts, even the night employees. Do we have to do this? —M.L., Ohio

Require employees to show FMLA proof before their leave

10/01/2004
Issue: When must employees provide proof of their need for FMLA leave? Benefit: You can require employees to provide proof when they request the leave. Action: Don’t be …

To cut costs, shed myths about staff returning from injury

10/01/2004
Issue: Common misconceptions exist about how to handle employees returning from injury leave. Benefit: By looking deeper into these return-to-work myths …