by Amanda Shelby
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) recently issued Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations became effective on March 8. Although the new regulations don’t radically change the landscape of the FMLA, they do contain some significant modifications. What do you need to know to ensure that your policies and practices are still [...]

by Tammy Binford
Questions surrounding employer obligations under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) seem endless. Recently, questions on how to handle a pregnant employee wanting to go against doctor’s orders and when leave should be granted to an employee wanting to take care of a grandchild were put to attorneys. Here is what they [...]

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) can be a headache for HR since the law applies to so many situations. Recently, questions regarding the timing of maternity and paternity leave as well as the need for FMLA paperwork for an employee’s “sensitive situation” were put to a group of attorneys well-versed in employment law. [...]

by James J. Rooney and Kerry Langan
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has released a 16-page guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) designed to make the law more accessible to employees. The publication, titled “Need Time? The Employee’s Guide to The Family and Medical [...]

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows leave to be taken “intermittently” in certain situations. Intermittent leave often presents both logistical and employee relations challenges for employers, which must minimize the effect of intermittent leave on operations and address possible employee abuse while ensuring legal compliance. This article will discuss intermittent FMLA dilemmas and [...]

by Craig L. Olivo
Q: An exempt employee was out for a week. He had eight hours of accrued sick time, which he used before coming in and working two unauthorized hours at the end of the week. Are we required to pay him for the whole week?

by Michael E. Barnsback
Jonathan Mook (one of our intrepid Virginia Employment Law Letter editors) and I recently taught a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Master Class. As with all of our FMLA classes, the major concern among the participants was how to curb abuse and prevent claims. One of the recent cases we discussed [...]

By Francine Esposito
Navigating the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) medical certification process can be tricky for even the most seasoned HR professionals. Thankfully, most employees requesting leave for their own serious health condition legitimately need it and will provide the necessary documentation. Other employees, however, attempt to “work the system” to take what they [...]

by Steve Jones
Q: Can an employer send an employee who is returning from Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave to a company-appointed physician for a second opinion to verify that he is able to perform the essential functions of his job?

The new year is off and running, but it’s not too late for human resources professionals to make a few employment law-related resolutions that should make their lives easier in 2012.
Sexual harassment policies
Boyd Byers a partner with Foulston Siefkin LLP in Wichita, Kansas, says attention to sexual harassment policies should top the list of resolutions [...]