Can I take FMLA leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition?
Yes; you can take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave in North Carolina to care for a family member with a serious health condition. Under North Carolina law, an employee is eligible for this leave if they meet certain regulations. These regulations include working for an employer who has employed at least 50 employees within 75 miles of the employee’s workplace; having worked at least 1250 hours during the 12 months preceding the start of their leave; and having worked for that employer for at least 12 months. As an eligible employee, you may take up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave within a 12-month period to care for a family member with a serious health condition. This leave can be taken all at once or intermittently (meaning, taken off and on in small chunks). During this leave, your employer must continue your health benefits as if you were working, and they may not fire or otherwise discriminate against you. In addition, upon returning from FMLA leave, your employer must return you to the same or a comparable job. This means that you should return to the same position you held before your leave with the same or an equivalent pay, benefits, and other conditions. Therefore, while taking FMLA leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition can be intimidating, it is an important leave that provides protections to employees in North Carolina.
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