Introduction
Please refer all FMLA questions to Brandy Kubisch or Peter Riesbeck
Riesbeck Food Markets, Inc. will comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act implementing Regulations as revised effective January 16, 2009. The company posts the mandatory FMLA Notice and upon hire provides all new employees with notices required by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Employee Rights and Responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act in the employee break room.
The function of this policy is to provide employees with a general description of their FMLA rights. In the event of any conflict between this policy and the applicable law, employees will be afforded all rights required by law. Any questions, concerns, or disputes with this policy must be directed to the Director of Human Resources in writing.
A. General Provisions
Under this policy, Riesbeck Food Markets, Inc. will grant up to 12 weeks (or up to 26 weeks of military caregiver leave to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness) during a 12 month period to eligible employees. The leave may be paid, unpaid, or a
combination of both, depending on the circumstances of the leave and as specified in this policy.
B. Eligibility
To qualify to take family or medical leave under this policy, the employee must meet all of the following conditions:
1) The employee must have worked for the company for 12 months or 52 weeks. The 12 months or 52 weeks need not have been consecutive. Separate periods of employment will be counted, provided that the break in service does not exceed seven years. Separate periods of employment will be counted if the break in service exceeds seven years due to National Guard or Reserve military service obligations, or when there is a written agreement, including a collective bargaining agreement, stating the employer’s intention to rehire the employee after the service break. For eligibility purposes, an employee will be considered to have been employed for an entire week even if the employee was on the payroll for only part of a week or if the employee is on leave during the week.
2) The employee must have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 month period immediately before the date when the leave is requested to commence. The principles established under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) determine the number of hours worked by an employee. The FLSA does not include time spent on paid or unpaid leave as hours worked. Consequently, these hours of leave should not be counted in determining the 1,250 hours eligibility test for an employee under FMLA.
3) The employee must work in a worksite where 50 or more employees are employed by the company within 75 miles of that office or worksite. The distance is to be calculated by using available transportation by the most direct route.
C. Type of Leave Covered
To qualify as FMLA leave under this policy, the employee must be taking leave for one of the reasons listed below:
1) The birth of a child and in order to care for that child.
2) The placement of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed
child.
3) To care for a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition (described below).
4) The serious health condition (described below) of the employee.
An employee may take leave because of a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the employee’s position.
A serious health condition is an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either an overnight stay in a medical care facility, or continuing treatment by a health care provider for a condition that either prevents the employee from performing the functions of the employee’s job, or prevents the qualified family member from participating in school or other daily activities.
Subject to certain conditions, the continuing treatment requirement may be met by a period of incapacity of more than 3 consecutive calendar days combined with at least two visits to a health care provider or one visit and a regimen of continuing treatment, or incapacity due to pregnancy, or incapacity due to a chronic condition. Other conditions may meet the definition of continuing treatment.
This policy covers illnesses of a serious and long-term nature, resulting in recurring or lengthy absences. Generally, a chronic or long-term health condition that would result in a period of three consecutive days of incapacity with the first visit to the health care provider within seven days of the onset of the incapacity and a second visit within 30 days of the incapacity would be considered a serious health condition. For chronic conditions requiring periodic health care visits for treatment, such visits must take place at least twice a year.
Employees with questions about what illnesses are covered under this FMLA policy or under the company’s sick leave policy are encouraged to consult with the Human Resource Manager.
If an employee takes paid sick leave for a condition that progresses into a serious health condition and the employee requests unpaid leave as provided under this policy, the company may designate all or some portion of related leave taken as leave under this policy, to the extent that the earlier leave meets the necessary qualifications.
5) Qualifying exigency leave for families of members of a regular component of the Armed Forces or members of the National Guard and Reserves when the covered military member is on “covered active duty.”
An employee whose spouse, son, daughter, or parent has been deployed to a foreign country or has been notified of an impending call or order of deployment to a foreign country as a regular component of the Armed Forces or as a member of the National Guard or Reserves may take up to 12 weeks of leave for reasons related to or affected by the family member’s call-up or service. The qualifying exigency must be one of the following: 1) short-notice deployment, 2) military events and activities, 3) child care and school activities 4) financial and legal arrangements, 5) counseling, 6) rest and recuperation, 7) post-deployment activities and 8) additional activities that arise out of active
duty, provided that the employer and employee agree, including agreement on timing and duration of leave.
The leave may commence as soon as the individual receives the notice of deployment to a foreign country. (Son or daughter for this type of FMLA leave is defined the same as for child for others types of FMLA leave except that the person does not have to be a minor.) This type of leave would be counted toward the employee’s 12-week maximum of FMLA leave in a 12-month period.
6) Military caregiver leave (also known as covered service member leave) to care for an ill or injured service member or qualifying veteran.
This leave may extend up to 26 weeks in a single 12-month period for an employee to care for a spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin of a covered service member, which in certain circumstances may also include a veteran, who in the course of duty sustained a serious illness or injury or aggravation of a pre-existing condition. Next of kin is defined as the closest blood relative of the injured or recovering service member.
D. Amount of Leave
An eligible employee can take up to 12 weeks for the FMLA circumstances (1) through (5) above under this policy during any 12 month period. The company will measure the 12 month period as a rolling 12 month period measured backward from the date an employee uses any leave under this policy. Each time an employee takes leave, the company will compute the amount of leave the employee has taken under this policy in the last 12 months and subtract it from the 12 weeks of available leave, and the balance remaining is the amount the employee is entitled to take at that time.
An eligible employee can take up to 26 weeks for the FMLA circumstance (6) above (military caregiver leave) during a single 12 month period. For this military caregiver leave, the company will measure the 12 month period as a rolling 12 month period measured forward. FMLA leave already taken for other FMLA circumstances will be deducted from the total of 26 weeks available.
If a husband and wife both work for the company and each wishes to take leave for the birth of a child, adoption, or placement of a child in foster care, or to care for a parent (but not a parent “in-law”) with a serious health condition, the husband and wife may only take a combined total of 12 weeks of leave. If a husband and wife both work for the company and each wishes to take leave to care for a covered injured or ill service member, the husband and wife may only take a combined total of 26 weeks of leave.
E. Employee Status and Benefits During Leave
While an employee is on leave, the company will continue the employee’s health benefits during the leave period at the same level and under the same conditions as if the employee had continued to work.
If the employee chooses not to return to work for reasons other than a continued serious health condition of the employee or the employee’s family member, or a circumstance beyond the employee’s control, the company will require the employee to reimburse the company the amount paid for the employee’s health insurance premium during the leave period.
Under current company policy, the employee pays a portion of the health care premium. While on paid leave, the employer will continue to make payroll deductions to collect the employee’s share of the premium. While on unpaid leave, the employee must continue to make this payment, either in person or by mail. If the payment is more than 30 days late, the
employee’s health care coverage may be dropped for the duration of the leave. The employer will provide 15 days’ notification prior to the loss of coverage.
If the employee contributes to a life insurance or disability plan, the employer will continue making payroll deductions while the employee is on paid leave. While the employee is on unpaid leave, the employee may request continuation of such benefits and pay his or her portion of the premiums, or the employer may elect to maintain such benefits during the leave and pay the employee’s share of the premium payments. If the employee does not continue these payments, the employer may discontinue coverage during the leave. If the employer maintains coverage, the employer may recover the costs incurred for paying the employee’s share of any premiums, whether or not the employee returns to work.
F. Employee Status After Leave
An employee who takes leave under this policy may be asked to provide a fitness for duty (FFD) clearance from the health care provider. This requirement will be included in the employer’s response to the FMLA request. Generally, an employee who takes FMLA leave will be able to return to the same position or a position with equivalent status, pay, benefits and other employment terms. The position will be the same or one which is virtually identical
in terms of pay, benefits and working conditions. The company may choose to exempt certain key employees from this requirement and not return them to the same or similar position.
G. Use of Paid and Unpaid Leave
An employee who is taking FMLA leave because of the employee’s own serious health condition or the serious health condition of a family member must use all paid vacation, personal, or sick leave prior to being eligible for unpaid leave.
Disability leave for the birth of the child and for an employee’s serious health condition, including worker’s compensation leave (to the extent that it qualifies) will be designated as FMLA leave and will run concurrently with FMLA. An employee who is taking leave for the
adoption or foster care of a child must use all paid vacation, personal, or family leave prior to being eligible for unpaid leave.
An employee who is using military FMLA leave for a qualifying exigency must use all paid vacation and personal leave prior to being eligible for unpaid leave. An employee using FMLA military caregiver leave must also use all paid vacation, personal leave or sick leave (as long as the reason for the absence is covered by the company’s sick leave policy) prior to being eligible for unpaid leave.
H. Intermittent Leave or a Reduced Work Schedule
The employee may take FMLA leave in 12 consecutive weeks, may use the leave intermittently (take a day periodically when needed over the year) or, under certain circumstances, may use the leave to reduce the workweek or workday, resulting in a reduced
schedule. In all cases, the leave may not exceed a total of 12 work weeks (or 26 work weeks to care for an injured or ill service member over a 12 month period).
The company may temporarily transfer an employee to an available alternative position with equivalent pay and benefits if the alternative position would better accommodate the intermittent or reduced schedule, in instances of when leave for the employee or employee’s family member is foreseeable and for planned medical treatment, including recovery from a serious health condition or to care for a child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care.
For the birth, adoption or foster care of a child, the company and the employee must mutually agree to the schedule before the employee may take the leave intermittently or work a reduced hour schedule. Leave for birth, adoption or foster care of a child must be taken within one year of the birth or placement of the child.
If the employee is taking leave for a serious health condition or because of the serious health condition of a family member, the employee should try to reach agreement with the company before taking intermittent leave or working a reduced hour schedule. If this is not possible, then the employee must prove that the use of the leave is medically necessary.
I. Certification for the Employee’s Serious Health Condition
The company will require certification for the employee’s serious health condition. The employee must respond within 15 days of the request or provide a reasonable explanation for the delay. Failure to provide certification may result in a denial of continuation of leave. Medical certification will be provided using the DOL Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee’s Serious Health Condition.
The company may directly contact the employee’s health care provider for verification or clarification purposes using a health care professional, an HR professional, leave administrator or management official. The company will not use the employee’s direct
supervisor for this contact. Before the company makes this direct contact with the health care provider, the employee will be given an opportunity to resolve any deficiencies in the medical certification. In compliance with HIPPA Medical Privacy Rules, the company will obtain the employee’s permission for clarification of individually identifiable health
information. Failure to provide permission, including, but not limited to, the signing of a HIPPA compliant medical release authorizing the health care provider to disclose protected health information to a properly designated company official may result in the request for the leave being denied.
The company has the right to ask for a second opinion if it has reason to doubt the certification. The company will pay for the employee to get a certification from a second doctor, which the company will select. The company may deny FMLA leave to an employee who refuses to release relevant medical records to the health care provider designated to provide a second or third opinion. If necessary to resolve a conflict between the original certification and the second opinion, the company will require the opinion of a third doctor. The company and the employee will mutually select the third doctor, and the company will pay for the opinion. This third opinion will be considered final. The employee will be provisionally entitled to leave and benefits under the FMLA pending the second and/or third opinion.
J. Certification for the Family Member’s Serious Health Condition
The company will require certification for the family member’s serious health condition. The employee must respond to such a request within 15 days of the request or provide a reasonable explanation for the delay. Failure to provide certification may result in a denial of continuation of leave. Medical certification will be provided using the DOL Certification of Health Care Provider for Family Member’s Serious Health Condition.
The company may directly contact the employee’s family member’s health care provider for verification or clarification purposes using a health care professional, an HR professional, leave administrator or management official. The company will not use the employee’s direct supervisor for this contact. Before the company makes this direct contact with the health care provider, the employee will be given an opportunity to resolve any deficiencies in the medical certification. In compliance with HIPPA Medical Privacy Rules, the company will
obtain the employee’s permission for clarification of individually identifiable health information. Failure to provide permission, including, but not limited to, the signing of a HIPPA compliant medical release authorizing the health care provider to disclose protected health information to a properly designated company official may result in the request for the leave being denied.
The company has the right to ask for a second opinion if it has reason to doubt the certification. The company will pay for the employee’s family member to get a certification
from a second doctor, which the company will select. The company may deny FMLA leave to an employee whose family member refuses to release relevant medical records to the health care provider designated to provide a second or third opinion. If necessary to resolve a
conflict between the original certification and the second opinion, the company will require the opinion of a third doctor. The company and the employee will mutually select the third doctor, and the company will pay for the opinion. This third opinion will be considered final. The employee will be provisionally entitled to leave and benefits under the FMLA pending the second and/or third opinion.
K. Certification of Qualifying Exigency for Military Family Leave
The company will require certification of the qualifying exigency for military family leave. The employee must respond to such a request within 15 days of the request or provide a reasonable explanation for the delay. Failure to provide certification may result in denial of continuation of leave. This certification will be provided using the DOL Certification of Qualifying Exigency for Military Family Leave.
L. Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of Covered Service Member for Military Family Leave
The company will require certification for the serious injury or illness of the covered service member. The employee must respond to such a request within 15 days of the request or provide a reasonable explanation for the delay. Failure to provide certification may result in a denial of continuation of leave. This certification will be provided using the DOL Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of Covered Service Member.
M. Re-certification
The company may request re-certification for the serious health condition of the employee or the employee’s family member no more frequently than every 30 days and only when circumstances have changed significantly, or if the employee receives information casting doubt on the reason given for the absence, or if the employee seeks an extension of his or her leave. Otherwise, the company may request re-certification for the serious health condition of the employee or the employee’s family member every six months in connection with an FMLA absence. The company may provide the employee’s health care provider with
the employee’s attendance records and ask whether need for leave is consistent with the employee’s serious health condition.
N. Procedure for Requesting FMLA Leave
All employees requesting FMLA leave must provide verbal or written notice of the need for the leave to the HR Department. Within five business days after the employee has provided this notice, the HR Department will complete and provide the employee with the DOL Notice of Eligibility and Rights.
When the need for the leave is foreseeable, the employee must provide the employer with at least 30 days’ notice. When an employee becomes aware of a need for FMLA leave less
than 30 days in advance, the employee must provide notice of the need for the leave either the same day or the next business day. When the need for FMLA leave is not foreseeable, the employee must comply with the company’s usual and customary notice and procedural requirements for requesting leave, absent unusual circumstances.
O. Designation of FMLA Leave
Within five business days after the employee has submitted the appropriate certification form, the HR manager will complete and provide the employee with a written response to the employee’s request for FMLA leave using the DOL Designation Notice.
P. Intent to Return to Work from FMLA Leave
On a basis that does not discriminate against employees on FMLA leave, the company may require an employee on FMLA leave to report periodically on the employee’s status and intent to return to work