Can I take FMLA leave for a family member's medical appointment?
Yes, in Virginia you can take FMLA leave for a family member’s medical appointment. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides job-protected leave to eligible employees in Virginia for specified family and medical reasons, including the care of an immediate family member with a serious health condition. This leave is unpaid, but the employee is entitled to continue their health insurance under the same terms and conditions as if they had been employed. In order to be eligible, an employee must have worked for the employer for at least 12 months and at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period prior to taking leave. The employee must also work for an employer with at least 50 employees within 75 miles of the worksite. FMLA leave for a family member’s medical appointment may include up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for birth or adoption of a child, a serious illness of the employee, or the serious health condition of a family member. A “family member” for purposes of FMLA leave includes an employee’s spouse, parent, and/or child, including adult children. You can use FMLA leave for doctor visits or other medical appointments related to the family member’s serious health condition. It is important to remember, however, that you should discuss taking FMLA leave with your employer in advance. Your employer may require you to provide medical verification of the family member’s serious health condition in order to be eligible for leave.
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