Does the FMLA cover job-protected leave for the birth, adoption, or placement of a foster child?
Yes, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) does cover job-protected leave for the birth, adoption, or placement of a foster child in Washington. This means that employers must provide their employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a newborn, adopted, or foster child, without retaliation or other negative action. The employee must also be able to return to their same job when the leave is over. In Washington, certain qualifications must be met in order to be eligible for FMLA leave. For example, the employer must have at least 50 employees at one or more locations, and the employee must have worked for the employer for at least 12 months. The employee must also have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months before the leave begins. It is important to remember that FMLA is unpaid leave, so employees will not receive a salary during their time off from work. Employers cannot require employees to use vacation, sick, or other paid leave time for this purpose. Employers may also require employees to take medical or other leave at the same time as FMLA leave, but employers cannot require employees to take more leave than is allowed under the FMLA.
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