Many employees in Pennsylvania are eligible to take time off from work if they have a family or medical issue that needs their attention. Under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, employees may take as much as 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year. To be eligible for FMLA leave, employees are required to have been employed for at least 12 months in which time they spent at least 1,250 hours working.
State laws and short-term disability benefits that are offered by specific employers could come into play as well. If an employee has a flexible work schedule or telecommutes, these factors could make it even more difficult for an employer to determine whether the employee is eligible for FMLA leave.
A lot of employers are using leave-management technology to determine if their employees are eligible to take FMLA leave. The technology can also be used to manage FMLA leave cases. Interactive software platforms allow employers to input their employee data so that the data can be compared to complex FMLA leave eligibility requirements. If an employee is taking intermittent leave, mobile applications can be used to help the employee log leave time on a smartphone.
As long as people are eligible for FMLA leave, they take their leave of absence without losing their employment position. The Family and Medical Leave Act legally protects employees from retaliation by their employer. People whose requests have been denied or met with an adverse reaction may want to discuss their situations with an attorney.
