Tulane Workforce Management Organization

Under a federal law known as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), if you have worked for the University for at least twelve (12) months and have worked at least 975 hours during the twelve months prior to requesting leave, you are eligible for family and medical leave for the following purposes:

To care for your newborn child or newly adopted or newly placed foster care child, as long as the leave is taken in the year following the child’s birth or placement;
To care for a child, legal spouse, or parent with a serious health condition; or
To care for your own serious health condition that leaves you unable to perform your job.

For purposes of family and medical leave, a “serious health condition” is defined as a physical or mental illness, injury or impairment that involves (a) inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential health care facility, or (b) continuing treatment or supervision at home by a health care provider or other competent individuals.

You are not entitled to family or medical leave if you have not met the eligibility requirements above, if you have already used all of your family and medical leave or if the reason for the absence does not qualify for family and medical leave, such as birth of a grandchild, or care of a distant relative. If you fail to submit any required documentation (www) in a timely manner, your leave may be delayed or denied.

Please contact the Records Specialist for the Health Science Center (www Barbara Maechling) or the Uptown Campus (www Dorothy Powell) in the Workforce Management Organization if you have questions about whether you are eligible for family and medical leave.

Employees must notify their supervisor and the Records Specialist at least thirty (30) days in advance of the date leave is to begin if the need for the leave is foreseeable. If the need for leave is not foreseeable, such as a medical emergency or changed circumstances, the employee must give as much advance notice as possible.

Requests for leave must be submitted for each separate qualifying purpose, and must be renewed annually in the case of intermittent leave.

Tulane may require an employee on leave to periodically report on the status and intention of the employee’s return to work.

Employees who request FMLA leave because of a serious health condition, whether their own or a family member’s, must submit a completed Certification of the Health Care Provider to the Records Specialist (www.directory). Subsequent re-certifications will be required as necessary. Failure to timely provide certification or re-certification may delay the taking or continuation of leave under this policy.

If you are eligible for FMLA leave, you are allowed a maximum of twelve (12) weeks of unpaid leave in any twelve (12) month period. To determine whether you have reached this limit as of a given date, you must count the amount of family and medical leave taken during the twelve (12) months preceding that date.

Employees taking leave because of their own or a relative’s serious health condition can take their leave intermittently or in accordance with a reduced work schedule if medically necessary. Employees are required to consult with their supervisor to arrange a mutually acceptable schedule. Employees taking leave to care for a newly born or newly placed child do not have a right to take intermittent leave and can do so only with their supervisor’s consent.

Employees are required to supplement their unpaid FMLA leave with any accrued vacation or sick leave available. Once paid leave is exhausted, the remainder of the leave is unpaid. Employees on FMLA leave continue to be covered by Tulane’s group health plan on the same terms that are applicable to active employees. You will be required to continue to pay your share of all premiums due.

Complete FMLA forms (both employee and Physician portions).

Turn in the employee’s portion to your department for supervisor signature.

Turn in the Physician’s portion to Records Specialist.

If sick and vacation hours are available while you are out on FMLA, a time sheet must be submitted by your department to the Payroll Section of the Workforce Management Organization. All sick hours and vacation hours must be recorded under the respective columns on the time sheet. If sick and vacation hours have been exhausted, the employee will be placed on a non-paid FMLA leave and the department must submit a new Payroll Action Form (PAF). The employee will be required to pay the normal portion all insurance premiums at that time.

Department must submit Payroll Action Form to the Human Resources Section of the Workforce Management Organization.

Time sheets must be submitted to the Payroll Section of the Workforce Management Organization while out on Family Medical Leave.

On returning from an FMLA leave, employees are normally restored to their original or an equivalent position.

Employees must submit a “Fit for Duty Statement” completed by treating physician.

The department must provide the Records Specialist with a copy of the FFD statement.

When returning from an FMLA leave, the employees are restored to an original or equivalent position.

Department must submit a “Return From Family Medical Leave” on a Payroll Action Form (PAF) to the Human Resources Section of the Workforce Management Organization.