The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that provides eligible employees with job-protected leave for qualifying family and medical reasons. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) enforces the FMLA for most employees.

Eligible employees can take up to 12 workweeks of FMLA leave in a 12-month period for:
• The birth, adoption or foster placement of a child with you,
• Your serious mental or physical health condition that makes you unable to work,
• To care for your spouse, child or parent with a serious mental or physical health condition, and
• Certain qualifying reasons related to the foreign deployment of your spouse, child or parent who is a military servicemember.

An eligible employee who is the spouse, child, parent or next of kin of a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness may take up to 26 workweeks of FMLA leave in a single 12-month period to care for the servicemember.

You have the right to use FMLA leave in one block of time. When it is medically necessary or otherwise permitted, you may take FMLA leave intermittently in separate blocks of time, or on a reduced schedule by working less hours each day or week. Read Fact Sheet #28M(c) for more information.

FMLA leave is not paid leave, but you may choose, or be required by your employer, to use any employer-provided paid leave if your employer’s paid leave policy covers the reason for which you need FMLA leave.

North Mason School District

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

What is FMLA leave?

Am I eligible to take FMLA leave?

How do I request FMLA leave?

Where can I find more information?