Part Two: What Employers Need to Know about Handling Benefits When Employees are on Leave Presented by: Chelsea Deppert Phone: (404) 240-4268 Email:
[email protected] fisherphillips.com AGENDA FOR TODAY • Laws Governing Leave Administration and Benefit Continuation • Best Practices for Premium Payments During Leave • Counting Service Hours for ACA Purposes During Leave • Other Practical Tips for Leave Administration fisherphillips.com Laws Governing Leave Administration and Benefit Continuation fisherphillips.com Employee Leave • There are numerous laws that protect employees on leave: . Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) . Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) . Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) . Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) . State Laws and Workers’ Compensation Laws • Some of these laws may require continuation of certain employee benefits fisherphillips.com FMLA – The Basics • Who is eligible for FMLA leave: . Employer with 50 or more employees within 75 surface miles . Employee must have worked for employer for at least 12 months . Employee must have worked at least 1250 hours in 12 months prior to leave • Eligible employees are entitled to 12 weeks (unpaid) leave in an employer- designated 12-month period for a qualifying event . Serious health condition of the employee or the employee’s spouse, child or parent; . Birth or adoption of employee’s child; or . Qualifying military-related exigency • Eligible employees are entitled to 26 weeks leave to care for seriously ill military member (employee must be the spouse, child, parent or next of kin of the covered service member) fisherphillips.com FMLA – The Basics • FMLA Leave is Unpaid . Employer may require or employee may elect to substitute available paid leave for unpaid leave (e.g., PTO, vacation, sick) • Notice of Need for Leave .