Family and Medical Leave

 

Employees at The Catholic University of America benefit from both the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. § 2601) and the District of Columbia Family and Medical Leave Act of 1990 (DC Code Ann. § 36-1301).  Both laws allow eligible employees to take job-protected, unpaid leave for the birth of a child, adoption of a child, or placement of a child for foster care.  The laws also allow leave when the employee is needed to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or when the employee has a serious health condition.

 

The amount of leave time depends upon the law in question.  Federal law allows up to a total of 12 work weeks in any 12 months.  DC law allows up to 16 work weeks in any 24-month period for medical leave for one's own serious health condition.  A separate 16 work weeks are allowed for the birth, adoption, placement of a child for foster care; the placement of a child for whom the employee assumes permanent parental responsibilities; or the care of a family member of the employee who has a serious health condition.

 

Federal family and medical leave and District of Columbia family and medical leave run concurrently and cannot be used consecutively if leave is covered under both laws.   Paid leave may be substituted for unpaid leave if the employee has earned or accrued the leave.  In certain cases, leave may be taken on an intermittent basis rather than all at once, or the employee may work a part-time schedule.

 

A related law is the DC Parental Leave Act of 1994 (DC Code Ann. § 36-1601).  Much narrower in scope, this law provides that an employer in the District must provide up to 24 hours of leave during any 12-month period to an employee for the purpose of the employee’s attendance at a school-related event involving his or her child.

 

For more information, click on any of the following topics/links:

 

Forms and Other Resources

CUA Family and Medical Leave Policy 

Recordkeeping Requirements

Notice Requirements

Request for Family/Medical Leave

Employer Notice to Employee upon Request for Family or Medical Leave
EEOC Fact Sheet on the FMLA, ADA and Title VII

U.S. Department of Labor Compliance Assistance Page for FMLA

DC Parental Leave Act