Family and Medical Leave Act
Under California law, all employers are required to comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides allowances for employees to take unpaid leave for specific reasons. Employees who are protected under this act have the right to reinstatement if they meet the specific requirements. In California, employees can take up to 12 weeks of leave in a period of 1 year for serious health conditions or for bonding with a new child. As long as the employee meets the eligibility requirements, this leave can be renewed once every 12 month. Workers who need military caregiver leave can take up to 26 weeks within a period of 1 year. For this purpose, additional leave is generally not permitted. Employees in need of legal assistance with an FMLA issue can benefit from a free consultation with one of our Los Angeles employment lawyers.
PERMITTED REASONS FOR LEAVE
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, employees can be considered eligible if they have worked for the company for at least a year, have worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous year, and have worked at a location with a minimum of 50 employees within a 75-mile radius. You are permitted to leave under the following reasons:
- You need to bond with a new child
- To care for a family member with health concern
- To recover from a serious health condition
- To handle exigencies from a family member’s military service
- To care for a family member with injury from active duty
Under California law, many reasons exist for individuals to take family or medical leave. For victims of domestic violence, employers must allow unpaid leave for the employee to obtain a restraining order. Employers who have at least five employees are required to give employees up to four months of leave for disability because of pregnancy or childbirth complications. If you have any questions regarding Occupational Health and Safety or need legal guidance, contact our firm today!