LEAVE OF ABSENCE OVERVIEW

Sometimes you face health and family challenges outside of work. We understand you need to take time off from work to bond with a new baby or welcome a newly placed adopted or foster child, require surgery or medical treatments, or need to provide care for an immediate family member. Haywood County Schools’ Benefits Specialist determines when to designate a leave as FMLA, based on the facts of each individual situation. Employees are responsible for providing enough information so that an appropriate determination can be made.

WHEN TO NOTIFY

An employee must contact Angie Ballance (contact below) when the need for leave of absence is known. We encourage employees to discuss your need for leave with your immediate supervisor. If an employee notifies their immediate supervisor, it becomes the the supervisor’s responsibility to notify HR or refer the employee to Angie Ballance as soon as possible. NOTE: even if you think your recovery will be just a few days or you do not anticipate being out longer than 10 days, we encourage you to inquire about FMLA so that the process is ahead of the unknown.

The employee must give at least 30 days’ notice if the leave is foreseeable. If 30 days’ notice is not practicable, if the need for leave is not foreseeable, an employee must provide notice as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

If expecting a baby and/or need leave for the birth of a child or to bond with a newborn, all paperwork must be collected by the beginning of the third trimester.

AM I ELIGIBLE FOR FMLA?

Based on federal requirements, we use a two-question assessment to determine whether you are eligible for FMLA protection.

If the answer is “yes” to those two questions, you are eligible for FMLA coverage, as long as:

• Your absence is for an FMLA-qualifying reason
• You haven’t already used up your 12-week entitlement (as of the start date of your leave of absence) during the current fiscal school year of July 1 – June 30.

If you are not eligible for FMLA, you do have other options for leave of absence that will be discussed with the Benefits Specialist.

FMLA and Absences:

Employees who have 10 or more consecutive workday absences due to an eligible condition (their own or a qualifying family member’s) activates eligibility review and that employee may be contacted by HR for evaluation of FMLA coverage and medical certification. This does not automatically grant leave, but initiates the FMLA process.

If an employee qualifies and the leave is approved, those absences will be counted toward their FMLA entitlement.

Intermittent or reduced schedule FMLA may be permitted when necessary.

Note: FMLA protections apply only when the proper procedures are followed, including timely submission of certification forms.

To inquire about a leave of absence please contact Angie Ballance at aballance@haywood.k12.nc.us or (828) 456-2400 x2139