Leave

Flu season is here! FMLA, ADA and objections to vaccines

12/20/2019

Influenza season is well underway, and there is every indication that the flu bug will bite lots of workers this winter. Many will need time off to recover. That raises two important questions: Is that leave protected by the FMLA? Can employees lawfully refuse to get flu shots?

Coping with New York state’s new employment laws

12/20/2019

As we enter 2020, employers should review their policies and handbooks to make sure they take into account new laws recently enacted or about to go into effect. In particular, new rules make it easier for employees to file and win lawsuits.

Federal employees gain 12 weeks of paid parental leave

12/19/2019

Federal government employees will soon be eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid family leave annually now that the Senate has voted to approve a House of Representatives provision.

Flu days and the FMLA don’t always go together

12/19/2019

According to the Department of Labor in an opinion letter to an inquiring employer, you can require employees to take unpaid FMLA leave, even if they’d rather use paid sick leave.

Gov’t employees could gain paid leave to bond with new children

12/17/2019

Federal government employees would be eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid family leave annually if a tentative agreement between the White House and Democrats in the House of Representatives survives the legislative process.

Finite leave may be valid accommodation

12/02/2019

It’s a difficult problem: A new employee hasn’t yet earned any leave but needs to take time off for a disability-related reason. It’s a mistake to automatically terminate such an employee. Slow down.

Don’t turn down FMLA because paid leave is available

10/24/2019

While employees may prefer taking paid leave and will often use vacation, personal or sick time to have a paycheck, employers shouldn’t refuse an FMLA request just because paid leave is available.

Employee returning from maternity leave: Does she have to have the same hours as before?

10/15/2019

Q. Under Texas law, if we have an employee returning from maternity leave, are we required to give her the same work hours as she received before her leave? We would like to reduce her hours because sales are down.

San Antonio delays paid sick leave, Dallas moves ahead

09/04/2019

By now, San Antonio’s paid sick leave ordinance was supposed to have gone into effect. But thanks to a compromise between city government and a group of local employers, affected employers won’t have to begin providing paid leave until at least Dec. 1, 2019.

California: Prepare for expanded paid leave benefit starting next July

08/23/2019

Effective July 1, 2020, California workers who receive paid family leave benefits under the California State Disability Insurance Program will be able to receive eight weeks of time off instead of the current six.