Can I take FMLA leave if I have a serious health condition?
Yes, you can take FMLA leave if you have a serious health condition in Washington. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that provides eligible employees with job-protected unpaid leave to care for a family member, or to care for themselves if they have a serious health condition. In order to be eligible for leave under the FMLA, you must meet certain requirements. These include that you must have worked for your employer for at least 12 months, and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the last 12 months. Employees must also work for an employer with at least 50 employees within a 75 mile radius. In the state of Washington, the FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year for qualified employees. This leave can be used for a variety of reasons, including caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or for one’s own serious health condition. During this time, employees’ jobs are protected and their health insurance benefits are maintained. Employees must give their employer 30 days advance notice if the leave is foreseeable, and must provide medical certification that they or the family member have a serious health condition. Employees are not entitled to be paid during the leave but may use accrued vacation or sick Leave. When an employee returns from FMLA leave, the employer must restore them to their former position or an equivalent position.
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