University of Illinois at Chicago Human Resources

Family and Medical Leave

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), enacted in 1993, is designed to help employees balance the demands of the workplace with the needs of families and to promote stability and economic security of families. It gives employees the right to a 12-week paid or unpaid leave for each consecutive 12-month period for which eligibility criteria have been met for the following events:

• Birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care .
• Serious health condition of an employee .
• Serious health condition of a spouse, child or parent .

Employees are entitled, on return from leave, to be restored to the position held when the leave commenced, or to an equivalent position with equal pay, benefits, and other conditions of employment.

Specific information includes:

• Eligibility
• Approval and Documentation
• Length of leave
• Benefits continuation
• Compensation
• Returning from leave
• Policies
• Checklist and Sample letters