Skip To Main Content

Color1 BG Container

District Nav

Landing Nav

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

  • What is FMLA?
    • The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a federal law, protects you from negative impacts on your job or benefits when you take time off or a leave of absence, up to 12 weeks a year, for any of the following reasons:
      • A serious health condition, either yours or a family member’s
      • Prenatal medical care or incapacity due to pregnancy and/or delivery
      • Time to bond with your new baby or newly placed adopted or foster child
      • Qualifying activities (exigencies) related to a family member’s military active duty
      • A serious injury or illness of a family member who is a current member of the armed forces or a veteran
  • Who is Eligible for FMLA?
    • You must meet both of the following qualifications:
    1. You must have worked at least 1,250 hours in the last 12 months prior to the first date of your requested leave.
    2. You must have worked with the district for at least 12 months as of the start of your requested leave.
    • Exception: You are a PSE union member and you have worked with the district for at least 5 years, and have worked at least 4 hours per day during those 5 years 
  • How will I be paid while on FMLA?
    • FMLA is an unpaid leave, UNLESS you have wellness/sick/vacation leave. You are required to use any accrued leave before you are to go unpaid while on FMLA.
  • What if I do not have enough accrued leave to cover my absences?
    • If you don’t have enough accrued paid time off, you may qualify for the Shared Leave Program or Paid Family Medical Leave.
  • What happens to my benefits while on FMLA?
    • Your health benefits must be maintained during any period of FMLA leave under the same conditions as if you continued to work. During any paid portion of FMLA leave, your share of any premiums will be paid by the method normally used during any paid leave. During any unpaid portion of FMLA leave you must continue to make any normal contributions to the cost of the health insurance premiums.
  • What happens when I am unpaid by the district (i.e. using only Paid Family Medical Leave or on an Unpaid Leave of Absence)?:
    • When an employee goes on PFML or an unpaid leave of absence, their pay will be stopped and any remaining money that is owed to the employee from previous months will be paid out in equal payments starting that same month until August. This does not include 12-month employees because they are paid year-to-date. If you are a 12-month employee, your pay will be stopped and you will not receive any more pay until you return. Once you return, your monthly payments will be similar to what you were making when you went out on leave, but it may not be exact.
  • How can I find out how much money I will continue to receive while on an unpaid leave of absence?
    • Ask for a Pay Projection from your Leave Specialist by emailing HRleaves@fwps.org
  • Once I return from an unpaid leave of absence, will I go back to getting my normal monthly pay?
    • Normally, no. Depending on the length of time that you are out, your monthly pay may change when you come back, as you did not work the expected contracted days. Pay will be calculated based on the # of contracted days remaining in the school year divided by the # of remaining months. If you want to find out your estimated pay upon return, ask for Pay Projection from your Leave specialist by emailing HRleaves@fwps.org
  • What happens after I submit my leave request?  
    • Once you have submitted the Leave Request form, you will receive an email with your FMLA eligibility from the Leave Specialist within 5 business days.  
  • What happens after HR has received both the Leave Request form and the Medical Certification form?  
    • Once both forms are received and the information provided is sufficient, an approval letter will be emailed to you and your supervisor detailing the type of leave and dates you are approved to be on leave.  
  • What information will my supervisor receive?  
    • Your health information is protected and confidential. The only information your supervisor will receive is the type of leave you are approved for and for what dates. Your medical information is kept separate from your personnel file in the Human Resources department.  
  • What does HR need for me to return to work?  
    • If you are on leave for your own medical condition, you will be required to provide HR with a note from your provider that clears you to return to work. If the doctor lists restrictions, HR asks that the note is provided to us at least 3 days prior to your return date so we have time to review the restrictions and ensure that your position is able to accommodate them.  

How do I request FMLA?

  1. Give at least 30 days’ notice, if you know in advance of your need to take a leave of absence.
    1. If your leave is more immediate, (you know less than 30 days from the anticipated start of the leave) please request it as soon as possible
  2. Submit a leave of absence request via the link below:

https://forms.office.com/r/Sv3pEcEpfp

  1. Print out the appropriate Medical Certification form from the list below and bring it to your provider to complete. 

Medical Certification Forms:

Medical Form - Self

Medical Form - Family

Medical Form - Maternity / Paternity

For more information on Paid Family Medical Leave visit: 

Paid Family and Medical Leave

www.paidleave.wa.gov

For more information on the Leave Share Program visit: 

Shared Leave Program

​​​​​Additional Resources  

FMLA Fact Sheet  ⇔ Covers the major requirements of FMLA and updates to the FMLA regulations.

FMLA Employee Guide  ⇔ Summarizes FMLA provisions and regulations and provides answers to the most frequently asked questions.

The District understands that employees will need time away from work for many different types of situations. Whether it’s time away to care for a new child, recovering from a serious health condition, care for an ill family member, bereavement or time away for personal reasons. We encourage employees to review their Collective Bargaining Agreement for the leave provision that best suits your needs. You may also require accommodations for medical restrictions when returning from leave or for a temporary or permanent disability. The Employee Leave and Accommodations Information page will help you with frequently asked questions and provide you with a start in making your request. Please review this information carefully and contact Shelbee Mangum at smangum@fwps.org with any further questions.