Have the Family and Medical Leave Act Amendments Been Adopted at your Workplace as Required?

As many employers know, the Family and Medical Leave Act was recently amended and the amendments became effective January 16, 2009. The most significant of these changes was to allow military caregivers up to 26 weeks a year of unpaid leave to assist with the care of an injured military member. Other changes included FMLA notice posting requirements, appropriate procedures for employees to notify employer’s of their use of FMLA leave, medical certification processes, and timelines for visits to health care providers that will qualify a condition for consideration as a serious health condition. If an employer has not had their FMLA policies reviewed recently, it is important for such a review to occur to assure that the employer is compliant with the FMLA provisions.