Law Commons^™

Fmla Leave Determinations/Medical Certifications, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

Part one of this memorandum provides a summary of questions asked and comments submitted in response to the DOL request for information ("RFI") about FMLA leave determinations and medical certifications.

Part two of this memorandum contains the relevant statutory and regulatory text. Part two also lists other sources cited in the comments about this topic.

Definition Of A "Day", Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

Part one of this memorandum provides a summary of questions asked and comments submitted in response to the DOL request for information ("RFI") about the definition of a "Day".

Part two of this memorandum contains the relevant statutory and regulatory text. Part two also lists other sources cited in the comments about this topic.

Communications Between Employers And Their Employees, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

Part one of this memorandum provides a summary of questions asked and comments submitted in response to the DOL request for information ("RFI") about communications between employers and their employees regarding FMLA rights and obligations.

Part two of this memorandum contains the relevant statutory and regulatory text. Part two also lists other sources cited in the comments about this topic.

Substitution Of Paid Leave, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

Part one of this memorandum provides a summary of questions asked and comments submitted in response to the DOL request for information ("RFI") about the substitution of paid leave for FMLA leave.

Part two of this memorandum contains the relevant statutory and regulatory text. Part two also lists other sources cited in the comments about this topic.

Attendance Policies, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

Part one of this memorandum provides a summary of questions asked and comments submitted in response to the DOL request for information ("RFI") about attendance policies.

Part two of this memorandum contains the relevant statutory and regulatory text. Part two also lists other sources cited in the comments about this topic.

Waiver Of Rights, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

Part one of this memorandum provides a summary of questions asked and comments submitted in response to the DOL request for information ("RFI") about waiver of FMLA rights.

Part two of this memorandum contains the relevant statutory and regulatory text. Part two also lists other sources cited in the comments about this topic.

The National Labor Relations Act And Flexible Work Arrangements: An Overview Of Existing Law And Proposals For Reform, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

The scheduling of work hours is important to employers and employees alike. Employers must ensure sufficient staffing to meet workload demands; employees must balance work with other aspects of their lives. Over the past several years, the tendency to view these needs as mutually exclusive has slowly given way to increased discussion of and experimentation with flexible work arrangements as an effective way to balance work-life demands. While these workplace flexibility initiatives take many forms, the majority of them require collaboration between employers and employees regarding work hours and conditions.

Episodic Time Off: An Overview, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

While some workers' needs for lexibility can be addressed by short Term Time Off (STO) or by a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA), there are other workers who need time off on a more episodic basis. These workers may have an illness, such as cancer of kidney disease, which requires them to attend numerous medical appointments on a relatively set basis. Or they may have a chronic conditions, such as migraine headaches or fibromyalgia, that flares up sporadically. Some workers may care for family memebers who have recurring medical needs, such as an aging parent who requires regularly scheduled bi-weekly dialysis …

Fact Sheet On Episodic Time Off (Epto), Jean Flatley Mcguire, Kaitlyn Kenney

Memos and Fact Sheets

Workplace Flexibility 2010 has coined the term "Episodic Time Off" or "EPTO" to describe the type of workplace flexibility needed to address the recurring need for time off - sometimes regular, sometimes sporadic, sometimes foreseeable, sometimes not - for which Short Term Time Off is insufficient and which a Flexible Work Arrangement cannot resolve. Evidence illustrates that across the lifespan, for a variety of reasons, the need and desire for EPTO are great.

The United Kingdom Flexible Working Act, Georgetown Federal Legislation Clinic

Memos and Fact Sheets

In 2002, the United Kingdom passed new legislation granting employees with young or disabled children the right to request flexible work arrangements from their employers. The law does not guarantee a right to flexible working but seeks to increase flexibility in UK workplaces by requiring a process for negotiation between employees and employers. Stated simply, that process places the initial responsibility on the employee to propose a new work arrangement and explain its potential impact on the employer. The employee and employer must then consider the request together, and the employer may refuse the request only for certain business reasons.

Short Term Time Off: The Current State Of Play, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

Many people think of workplace flexibility as flexibility that is provided on a long term, regular basis — for example, flexibility provided through alternative work schedules, compressed workweeks, or part time positions. Under Workplace Flexibility 2010’s conceptualization, however, workplace flexibility also includes the ability to address day-to-day life needs on a short term basis.

Short term needs for flexibility are numerous: to recover from an illness; take care of a sick child; attend a school conference, funeral or medical appointment; wait for a repair person; or appear in court. Some needs may be anticipated; others will arise unexpectedly.

Flexible Work Arrangements: The Overview Memo, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

Many employees today have ongoing, predictable demands on their time outside of work. These demands may include dependent children, an ill family member, a long commute, a desire for increased education, or a commitment to community or religious activities. To meet these demands, and to get a paying job done, such individuals often need to work at a different time or in a different place than the traditional “9 am to 5 pm, five days/week, face time at the workplace” rubric.

In response to employee and employer needs and preferences, some employers provide what we call “Flexible placethat work gets …

Flexible Work Arrangements: Selected Case Studies, Jean Flatley Mcguire, Phyllis Brashler

Memos and Fact Sheets

Employees have shown a great desire for flexible work arrangements (FWAs). National data reveals that nearly 80% of workers say they would like to have more flexible work options and would use them if there were no negative consequences at work. However, most workers do not have access to flexible work arrangements and barriers to their effective implementation persist in many organizations as the following nationally representative employer-based survey data reveals.

The New South Wales Carers’ Responsibilities Act, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center, Georgetown Federal Legislation Clinic

Memos and Fact Sheets

Enacted in 2001, the New South Wales Carers’ Responsibilities Act (“CRA”) prohibits discrimination against employees with caregiver responsibilities and provides access to reasonable flexible work arrangements. Under this law, employees have the right to request accommodations for their carer responsibilities, and employers have an affirmative obligation to consider and grant reasonable accommodations that do not impose an unjustifiable hardship. The affirmative accommodation requirement extends to requests for flexible working hours, working from home (telecommuting), part-time work, and job-share arrangements.

The Federal Employees Flexible And Compressed Work Schedules Act (Fefcwa), Georgetown Federal Legislation Clinic

Memos and Fact Sheets

Federal law establishes scheduling requirements for government employees, generally requiring federal agencies to set regular work hours over a traditional Monday through Friday workweek. These requirements, along with provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), impede flexible work arrangements (FWAs) for federal employees.1 The Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act (“FEFCWA”) removes these legal barriers for two specific types of alternative work schedules (AWS): flexible work schedules (FWS) and compressed work schedules (CWS). Under an FWS, an agency establishes core hours when all employees must be at work and allows employees to choose arrival and departure times …

Flexible Work Arrangements: A Definition And Examples, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

Workplace Flexibility 2010 defines a “flexible work arrangement” (FWA) as any one of a spectrum of work structures that alters the time and/or place that work gets done on a regular basis. A flexible work arrangement includes:

1. flexibility in the scheduling of hours worked, such as alternative work schedules (e.g., flex time and compressed workweeks), and arrangements regarding shift and break schedules;

2. flexibility in the amount of hours worked, such as part time work and job shares; and

3. flexibility in the place of work, such as working at home or at a satellite location.

Our research indicates …

Workplace Flexibility 2010: Facts On Short Term Time Off, Jean Flatley Mcguire, Kaitlyn Kenney

Memos and Fact Sheets

Short Term Time Off (STO) refers to job-protected time away from the workplace (generally 5 days or less) to address anticipated or unexpected issues of limited duration. STO may be scheduled or unscheduled, depending on the underlying need. STO enables workers to address the routine and emergency situations that occur in everybody’s lives.

The need for STO may arise, for example, because a worker or worker’s child is sick or has a routine doctor’s appointment, because a worker has to wait for the plumber or apply for benefits or go to court, or because a worker needs to attend a …

Eligibility For Medical Leave Under The Fmla, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) permits eligible workers to take up to 12 weeks per year of unpaid leave for medical reasons—either their own or those of an immediate family member. In the case of personal medical leave, an employee is entitled to leave for medical conditions that constitute “serious health conditions” and that make an employee unable to perform the functions of his or her position. The FMLA statute defines “serious health condition” as: “an illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care or continuing treatment by a health care provider.” …

Intermittent Leave And Reduced Schedule Leave Under The Family And Medical Leave Act, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) permits workers who meet certain conditions to take up to 12 weeks per year of unpaid leave for medical or family care reasons. This memorandum discusses the statutes, legislative history and regulations pertinent to intermittent and reduced schedule leave, as well as select case law.

To give workers not just the time but also the flexibility to balance the demands of work and family, the FMLA allows workers to take leave on an intermittent basis (e.g., a few hours per week to attend a standing medical appointment) or on a reduced …

Notice, Designation And Substitution Of Leave Requirements Under The Family And Medical Leave Act, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Memos and Fact Sheets

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) imposes notice obligations on both employers and employees. Employees must give their employer notice of their need for leave by providing an FMLA-qualifying reason for leave. Employees are not, however, required to use the words “FMLA” when asking for leave. Employees must also tell their employer if they wish to substitute paid leave for unpaid FMLA leave. Finally, employees must provide their employer with two-days’ notice of their plans to return to work following leave.

Employers initially must give employees notice of their FMLA rights. Once an employee has requested leave, …