Family and Medical Leave

To be eligible for FML, you must meet certain criteria, including a qualifying leave event. All potential FML qualifying leave events should be entered into Workday and routed to your FML Administrator to determine eligibility.

Refer to the Family and Medical Leave Policy for additional information on FML eligibility.

• A serious health condition of the employee that prevents the employee from performing his or her job as certified by a health care provider;
• Birth of a child;
• Placement of the child with the employee for adoption or foster care;
• Care for a child during the first year following birth, adoption or foster care placement;
• Care for an immediate family member* who has a serious health condition as certified by a health care provider; or
• A qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty.” Eligible employees have job protected time off for up to 26 workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the service member’s spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin.

*Pursuant to the FML policy, an “immediate family member” includes: spouse or domestic partner, biological, adoptive, step-, or foster parent, individual who stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was a child; or biological, adopted, step-, or foster child; a legal ward; or a child of a person standing in loco parentis to the child who is under 18 years of age or 18 years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

Refer to the Family and Medical Leave Policy for additional information on FML qualifying events.

When a qualifying event is known or anticipated (for example, if you are planning to have surgery or you are pregnant), you must notify your supervisor AND request your Leave of Absence in Workday as far in advance as possible (at least 30 days).

When a qualifying event is immediate or unforeseeable, notice must be given as soon as practical when you become aware of the need for leave (either the day you learn of the need or the next workday). If not reported in a timely manner, FML protection for the leave may be denied or delayed.

A request for FML must be substantiated with satisfactory documentation within 15 calendar days of the request as per the due date provided by the FML Administrator. You must follow your department’s usual notice or call-in procedures unless you are medically unable to do so (for example, if you are receiving emergency medical care).

All requests for leave must be initiated in Workday.

1. Contact your supervisor to report your absence
2. Request your Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) via Workday with the start date and estimated end date (see detailed instructions for Requesting a Leave of Absence)
3. Your assigned FML Administrator will provide you with the FML packet after your Workday request has been submitted
4. Work with your medical provider to complete the medical certification form. Return the completed form within 15 calendar days to your FML Leave Administrator

For general information and/or questions regarding FML, please contact HRConnection.

Please note: When you become aware of your need for FML, you should also enter paid time off for the entire time you will be away from work (parental, illness/injury/sick, vacation) in Workday (campus employees) or Kronos (health system employees). Delay in entering your paid time off may result in pay errors.

It is important that you stay in touch while on a Leave of Absence. Ongoing communication will make the FML process run much more smoothly. It is important that you provide periodic updates of your status and estimated return to work date and plan to your manager and/or HR Professional AND your assigned FML Administrator.

You are not required to provide medical information to your supervisor, but you must provide updates on your expected return date and plan. All necessary medical information should be submitted to your FML Administrator or other Integrated Absence Management representative.

If you are on an extended medical leave for your own illness or injury, you may be contacted by a Disability Program Manager whose role is to assist you with coordination of your leave, disability benefits and return to work.

When you are on an approved leave of absence, you may be eligible to continue some or all of your university benefits. More information about continued benefit coverage during an approved leave of absence can be found on the Leaves of Absence page.

A Return to Work Release Form is required in order to return to work following your FML for your own serious health condition. Once your return to work date is finalized, you must also request your return from leave in Workday to ensure you return to active status on your first day back at work. Failure to initiate your return from leave in Workday may result in pay errors.

Integrated Absence Management and Vocational Services (IAMVS) may coordinate with your physician and department to develop return-to-work and remain-at-work goals and expectations. This may include the identification of temporary transitional work placements in accordance with the Transitional Work Policy based on your skills, temporary restrictions and departmental needs.