1. Overview

   The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) became effective August 5, 1993, and applies to Ohio university and its employees. This law is intended to define the rights and responsibilities of the employee and the university related to entitlement to leave, maintenance of health benefits during leave, and job restoration after leave. The law sets forth requirements for notice and certification of the need for FMLA leave. It protects Ohio university employees who request or take FMLA leave, and it imposes certain record keeping requirements on Ohio university.

   The purpose of this policy is to publish information about university and employee rights and obligations under the FMLA.

   Ohio university will comply with the requirements of the FMLA and will assist its employees in balancing their work and family life by taking reasonable leaves for certain family and medical reasons.

2. Process

   In order to manage and enforce the comprehensive requirements of the FMLA, the university has published a manual entitled "Guidelines for Management and Enforcement of Rights and Responsibilities Under the Family Medical Leave Act," which is online, linked from https://www.ohio.edu/hr/benefits/fmla. University human resources will maintain this manual based on legal counsel and case law precedents, conforming to any changes in the law or applicable regulations, and accurately reflecting actual practice.

   The manual addresses the substantive and procedural rights and responsibilities of individual employees and of the various units within the university under the FMLA. A copy will be available at the Ohio university library in the reference department. Upon request, university human resources will provide employees with a printed copy of the FMLA manual at no charge to the employee. Employees may also obtain a copy of the manual or portions thereof from the FMLA web site linked above.

   Individual administrative departments are responsible for complying with the management and record keeping requirements of the FMLA, with assistance from university human resources. Other leaves of absence may be available to the employee upon exhaustion of their leave under the FMLA (see policy 41.128). Bargaining unit employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement should refer to their current contract for specifics of participation. 

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Planning unit heads 

2. Faculty Senate

3. Administrative Senate

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   The following forms are specific to this policy:

   1. The forms that are specific to this policy are online, linked from  https://www.ohio.edu/hr/resources/forms.

2. References

   The following items are relevant to this policy:

   1. Policy 41.128, "Leaves of Absence for Presidential Appointees."

   2. The Guidelines for Management and Enforcement of Rights and Responsibilities Under the Family Medical Leave Act is online, linked from https://www.ohio.edu/hr/benefits/fmla.

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy were approved on:

   1. July 6, 2016 (re-formatted)

   2. January 7, 2008

   3. January 10, 2002

   4. July 1, 1997