Adjusting Your Fmla Leave: Navigating The Process With Hartford Insurance

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for births, deaths, adoptions, serious medical problems, and other emergencies. This can be extended to paid leave in certain states, and in the case of COVID-19, emergency paid leave was temporarily available. The process for changing an FMLA leave date with Hartford Insurance is not clear, but their website offers a range of resources to help employees manage their leave, including digital tools and on-call advocates. For specific details on programs, eligibility, and filing, employees should consult their employer or Human Resources department.

Understanding the types of leave available

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)

PFML is a benefit that allows employees to take extended time off work to care for a family member or address their own non-work-related serious health condition. PFML programs vary by location and can be funded through payroll deductions, employer contributions, or a combination of both. Employees who take PFML receive a portion of their wages during their absence, with the amount varying based on their average wages and applicable state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The FMLA applies to employers with 50 or more employees and provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. FMLA leave can be taken for various reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or the employee's own serious health condition.

Emergency COVID-19 Related Leaves

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several special federal and state laws were enacted to provide immediate economic relief and job protection to affected workers. These included the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which introduced temporary Paid Sick Leave and Emergency Paid Family and Medical Leave. While the temporary COVID-19 leaves expired at the end of 2020, certain tax credits were extended for employers who voluntarily offer these types of leaves.

Traditional Workplace Leaves

In addition to the FMLA, there are other types of traditional workplace leaves. These include paid sick leave, which is offered by many employers or required by law in some states, and maternity and paternity leave, which provide new parents with time off to bond with their newborn child.

Other Types of Leave

Other less common types of leave include bereavement leave, religious observance leave, sabbatical leave, and time off for jury duty, voting, or adverse weather conditions. These types of leave may be mandated by law or offered voluntarily by employers as part of their benefits packages.

How to apply for FMLA leave

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to as much as 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for births, deaths, adoptions, serious medical problems, and other emergencies. To apply for FMLA leave, employees must submit their request in writing to their employer. The request should include the reason for the leave, the expected duration of the leave, and any relevant supporting documentation.

Once an employee has submitted their request for FMLA leave, the employer will need to determine if the employee is eligible for the leave. To be eligible for FMLA, employees must have worked for the company for at least 12 months, put in a minimum of 1,250 hours, and work for a company with 50 or more qualified employees. If the employee is eligible, the employer will provide a notice of eligibility and details about how much time will be deducted from their FMLA entitlement.

It's important to note that FMLA leave is unpaid, but employees may be able to use paid time off (PTO) to cover some or all of their leave. Additionally, FMLA leave is job-protected, meaning that employees are guaranteed to return to the same or an equivalent position upon their return.

Employees can also explore other types of leave that may be available to them, such as Paid Family Leave (PFL), Paid Medical Leave (PML), or Short-Term Disability (STD) leave, which can sometimes be used concurrently with FMLA leave to provide additional support. These types of leave may be required by state law or offered voluntarily by the employer, and the specifics can vary depending on the state and employer.

Finally, it's recommended to consult with the Human Resources department or a leave administration professional to understand the specific requirements and options available for taking FMLA leave.

How to change FMLA leave dates

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to as much as 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for births, deaths, adoptions, serious medical problems, and other emergencies. The FMLA only applies to companies with 50 or more qualified employees who have been on the job for at least 12 months, and put in a minimum of 1,250 hours.

If you need to change your FMLA leave dates, the first step is to determine if you are eligible for FMLA. If you are, then you need to submit a written request for leave to your employer, who will respond with a statement of your eligibility and the details of your entitlement.

When requesting a change of dates, be sure to provide a valid reason and, if possible, give advance notice. You may also need to provide documentation to support your request, such as medical certificates or other relevant information.

Keep in mind that the process for changing FMLA leave dates may vary depending on your employer's specific policies and procedures. It is always a good idea to review your company's guidelines or speak directly with your supervisor or HR department to understand the specific steps you need to take.

Additionally, if you are covered by The Hartford Insurance, you may be able to access additional resources and support through their Paid Family and Medical Leave Resource Center. They offer digital tools and on-call advocates to help employees manage their leave claims and make any necessary adjustments.

Emergency COVID-19-related leaves

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) created two new types of temporary paid leave in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These include temporary changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, which provided 12 weeks of unpaid leave for illness or family-related reasons, and the introduction of a temporary paid sick leave. These temporary COVID-19 leaves were available to businesses with 500 or fewer employees and to some government employers.

Emergency Paid Sick Leave (Emergency PSL)

Employers choosing to provide this benefit would give employees up to 10 days of paid sick leave if they can't work and need to care for themselves or others due to a quarantine or symptoms, or to care for a child whose school or daycare is closed due to COVID-19-related precautions. After April 1, 2021, employees can also take this leave to get a COVID-19 vaccine or recover from vaccine-related illness.

Emergency Paid Family and Medical Leave (Emergency Paid EFMLA)

Employees could get up to 12 weeks of FMLA, with the last 10 weeks of it paid after Emergency PSL is used, if they couldn’t work because they needed to care for a minor child whose school or daycare had closed due to COVID-19 related precautions. After April 1, 2021, other leave reasons were added for voluntarily provided company COVID-19 vaccine-related issues if the employee or someone in their care is subject to quarantine or isolation orders, or the employee has COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a diagnosis.

New York Emergency Paid Sick Leave (PSL), Disability (DBL) and Paid Family Leave (PFL)

Most employers in New York must now provide paid sick leave (PSL) of one to two weeks, depending on employer size and income, to employees unable to work due to COVID-19 quarantine orders. Employees needing to be out longer than the new paid sick leave durations may then be eligible to receive emergency NY Disability or Paid Family Leave.

PFML state-specific information

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to care for a new baby or a sick family member. This is only applicable to companies with 50 or more employees.

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) is a state-mandated law that provides employees with paid family and medical leave. The main difference between federal and state FMLA laws is whether the leave is paid or unpaid.

PFML programs vary depending on location. Here is a list of PFML programs by state:

• California: Voluntary Paid Family Leave (CA VPFL) and California Voluntary Plan Disability Insurance (CA VPDI)
• Colorado: Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI)
• Connecticut: Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)
• Hawaii: Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)
• Massachusetts: Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)
• New Jersey: Family Leave Insurance (FLI) and New Jersey Temporary Disability Benefits (TDB)
• New York: Disability Benefits Law (DBL) & New York Paid Family Leave (PFL)
• Oregon: Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (PFMLI)
• Vermont: Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI)
• Washington: Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)

PFML is funded through employer and employee contributions, and employees who take PFML receive a portion of their wages in a paid benefit during their absence. The benefit amount will vary depending on the employee’s average wages and the state PFML law.

Frequently asked questions