4. FMLA Policy

Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Policy on Family and Medical Leave

• The policy provides guidance for managing unpaid leave for eligible employees for qualified medical and family reasons.

• Eligible reasons for leave include the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, an employee's own serious health condition, and caring for a service member with a serious injury or illness.

• The policy defines key terms such as child, FMLA, qualified health care professional, and spouse.

• The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District manages unpaid leave in compliance with federal and state law and any applicable collective bargaining agreement.

• Employees are eligible for FMLA after working for the district for at least one year and completing 1,250 hours over the 12 months prior to the commencement of the leave.

• Eligible employees are entitled to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave during a 12-month period, with up to 26 weeks available for certain military caregiver situations.

• A serious health condition is defined as an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves an overnight stay in a hospital, continuing treatment by a qualified health care professional, or other specified conditions.

• Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of leave for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

• Military exigency leave of up to 12 weeks is available for qualifying exigencies occurring because a family member is on covered active duty or has been notified of an impending order to active duty.

• Military caregiver leave of up to 26 weeks is available to care for a family member who has incurred an injury or illness while on active duty in the Armed Forces or to care for a covered veteran.

• Intermittent leave is available for certain situations, such as an employee's own serious health condition or to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness.

• While on leave, employees will continue to be covered by any group health insurance to the same extent that coverage is provided while the employee is on the job.Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Family and Medical Leave Policy

• The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District has a Family and Medical Leave policy for its employees.

• The policy applies to employees who have worked for the district for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months.

• The policy provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for eligible employees who need to care for themselves or a family member with a serious health condition or for the birth or placement of a child.

• Employees may use accrued sick leave during their FMLA leave but must have at least 256 hours of accrued sick leave.

• Sick leave donations are allowed, but the Fire Chief must approve them, and the donor must have at least 256 hours of accrued sick leave.

• The Sick Leave donations cannot be solicited or obtained from employees in their initial probationary period.

• The district may designate non-FMLA leave as running concurrently with an employee's 12-week FMLA leave entitlement.

• Employees must provide 30 days' advanced notice for FMLA leave or as soon as practicable if the need for leave is not foreseeable.

• Requests for medical leave must be accompanied by a qualified health care professional statement, including the date the serious health condition began and the estimated date of return to work.

• Employees must provide medical certification or military documentation if requested and periodically report on their status and intent to return to work.

• Employees returning from medical leave must present medical verification of their ability to return to work and any restrictions that may be accommodated.

• Employees will generally be restored to their original job or an equivalent job with equivalent pay and benefits, unless the same position is no longer available or the employee cannot perform essential job functions due to a physical or mental disability.