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Pregnancy of employee’s child may trigger FMLA leave

11/01/2006

The FMLA allows employees to take job-protected leave for the birth or adoption of their child. But can an employee legally take FMLA leave when his or her child is having a baby? In most situations, the answer is "no." But that’s not always the case …

Tracking time off for salaried employees

11/01/2006

Q. If a company tracks employees’ vacation, sick and personal time off, can we make deductions from accumulated time for everyone who takes time off, including salaried employees? I’m talking about deducting it from the accrual, not the pay. I’ve heard that I can’t deduct vacation, sick leave or personal time if the salaried employee worked at least four hours during that day. —S.W., Florida

Employee: Leave! Encourage workers to use vacation time

11/01/2006

As the year-end approaches, take an inventory of employees who haven’t taken their vacations yet, and suggest they book a getaway. Vacation skipping has become an epidemic …

Help boomers use FMLA accurately for elder care leave

10/01/2006

As your baby boomer employees watch their parents enter their 80s and 90s, more of them are taking time off to care for those aging parents. The problem: More than 60 percent of employers believe they’ve granted FMLA time off that was unfounded, according to a Society for Human Resource Management survey. That spells unwarranted absenteeism, which can disrupt work flow …

Employee feedback helps revamp parental leave policy

10/01/2006

When Rob Keeling, director of diversity at Capital One, wanted to improve the McLean, Va.-based credit-card company’s parental leave policy, he didn’t have to look far for suggestions. The company’s female employees, through their employee network, told him what to do …

Mandatory sabbaticals help retain call center staff

10/01/2006

Employees who celebrate their sixth anniversary at ServiceNet, a Jeffersonville, Ind., warranty service company, don’t get lapel pins to commemorate the occasion. They receive alarm clocks. Each clock counts down the year until the company boots the employee out the door … for a mandatory paid sabbatical …

Urge Senior Managers to ‘Detach’

10/01/2006

Nearly two-thirds of senior executives admit they can’t stop thinking about work even while they’re on vacation, according to a survey from NFI Research. The study’s advice: Encourage the top brass to take a real break to recharge their batteries …

Design your bonus program with the FMLA in mind

10/01/2006

Pennsylvania employers can look to a recent 3rd Circuit Court decision to keep their bonus plans in compliance with the FMLA. The case is the first of its kind in the country and provides employers with guidance beyond that found in the FMLA’s regulations. The decision is now law in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and the Virgin Islands …

Recertification request won’t guarantee FMLA extension

10/01/2006

By law, employees can take up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave each year. Your organization can, if it chooses, grant an extension …

You can alter job description for worker on FMLA leave

10/01/2006

When employees return from FMLA leave, you’re required to restore them to the same position or a comparable one. That requirement might make you hesitant to make any changes to employees’ jobs or conditions of employment while they’re out on FMLA leave. However, a new court ruling shows that you can make minimal changes to a job description without worrying about FMLA violations …