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FMLA

Accommodation requires employee’s good faith

06/21/2018
An employee who makes a request for an ADA reasonable accommodation and is punished for doing so may have a retaliation claim. But she has to actually believe in good faith that the accommodation she is requesting will work.

Employment law update: FMLA & ADA, FLSA & higher education

06/14/2018
Here are  updates on the interaction between the FMLA and the ADA, and on the U. S. Department of Labor’s new guidance on the FLSA and higher educational institutions.

Deny FMLA if clarification request goes unanswered

06/14/2018
You can require employees seeking FMLA leave to have their health care provider submit a certification form estimating how long the medical condition will last. If that or any other part of the certification is left blank, the employer can request clarification.

It’s all fun and games until joking about injuries leads to an FMLA violation

06/14/2018
While adverse actions such as termination are classic examples of retaliation and dissuasion, other acts may also make the cut. For example, a concerted campaign to make fun of or humiliate someone who takes FMLA leave may also violate the law.

Ensure employees know about intermittent leave

06/14/2018
Not every employee who needs FMLA leave has to take a continuous block of time off. They may need short amounts of leave to go to medical appointments, check in for brief hospital treatments or deal with flare-ups of their medical conditions. That’s what FMLA intermittent leave is for.

OK to offer option to work during FMLA leave

06/07/2018
You can’t require employees to work when they are out on FMLA leave. However, you can offer them the option of doing some work, as long as it is not presented as a condition of continued employment.

Too small for FMLA to apply? Don’t count on it

06/07/2018
Employers don’t have to comply with the FMLA unless they employ 50 or more employees. However, they can’t escape being covered by creating smaller, wholly owned enterprises.

Disciplining disabled worker for absenteeism? Make sure she knows your rules

05/17/2018
It is essential to grant FMLA leave when eligible employees need it. At the same time, it is perfectly legal to require employees to follow specific procedures for using leave. Just make sure employees understand those rules.

Absences due to FMLA can count against calculations for performance bonus

05/09/2018
Generally, time spent on FMLA leave can’t be counted against an employee when, for example, tallying absences under a no-fault attendance program. However, calculations to figure a production bonus don’t have to “forgive” work missed because of FMLA leave.

ADA & FMLA: Absence does not make the heart grow fonder

05/07/2018
A federal court in Texas has concluded that attendance can be considered an essential function of a job. A disabled worker who can’t make it to work with some regularity simply isn’t qualified; no amount of accommodation can fix that problem.