As part of the Department of Labor’s continuing effort to spread the word about the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) and make the FMLA more accessible, the Wage & Hour Division (WHD) of the DOL released an Employee Guide to the FMLA, a 16-page, plain language booklet designed to answer common FMLA questions and clarify who can take FMLA leave and what protections the FMLA provides.

The Employee Guide specifically addresses:

• Who can use FMLA? (Coverage and Eligibility)
• When can I use FMLA? (Qualifying reasons to take FMLA)
• What can the FMLA do for me? (FMLA rights and protections)
• How do I request FMLA leave?
• Communication with Employer (Employer and Employee Notices)
• Medical Certification
• Returning to Work (Reinstatement rights)
• How to File a Complaint

It is likely that this resource will also be useful to many employers to better understand the FMLA.  It does not address some of the more vexing issues that can arise with FMLA, but this is clearly a useful resource for employers and employees.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/employeeguide.htm

Tags: complaint, DOL, Employer, Family Medical Leave Act, FMLA, Wage & Hour Division