Faculty & Staff

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

As a faculty or staff member employed at Illinois Central College, you may take up to twelve (12) weeks of paid/unpaid, job protected leave for certain family and medical reasons.

Whether the leave is paid or unpaid is dependent on what benefits you have available. You are eligible for this leave if you have total cumulative service of at least one year and have worked at least 1250 hours during the previous 12 months. Your FMLA leave time will be calculated on a “rolling” 12-month period measured backward from the date of any FMLA leave usage. All approved requests for Extended Illness Leaves and Worker’s Comp Leaves will count toward the 12-week limit if you qualify for an FMLA leave.

Although most leaves will be continuous, some leaves may be intermittent. Approved FMLA leave is used concurrently with any payable time. Earned sick, vacation, and compensatory time must be used and will count toward the 12-week limit.

Here’s an overview of the Family Medical Leave Act from the Federal Department of Labor.

Notification Requirements

If you are going to be absent for more than 3 consecutive days due to a serious health condition, please notify your immediate supervisor and Human Resources (East Peoria Campus, Academic Building, 339G — (309) 694-5720) at least 30 days before you want to go on leave under the FMLA. If 30-days notice is not possible, then notification must be as soon as possible. Written documentation to support the absence must be received no later than 15 calendar days following the FMLA request date. If proper documentation is not received within the 15 days, your request for FMLA could be denied.

Your Responsibilities

Employee

It is your responsibility to inform your supervisor of any time missed due to your FMLA leave. Time should be reported as Code FMLA Sick (and FMLA Vacation once sick is exhausted) in Timelink.

Supervisor

Time reporting is the responsibility of the supervisor during the employee’s absence.

Approval/denial of leave will be sent via e-mail to the employee and their supervisor by Human Resources. If you require a paper copy of this notification, please contact your HR Business Partner.

Job Protection and Benefits

  • When you return from FMLA leave, you will be restored to your original or equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, and other terms of employment.
  • Your group health insurance and other existing benefits will be maintained for the duration of FMLA leave
  • You will accrue benefits while using earned sick and vacation time. You will not accrue benefits while on unpaid FMLA leave.
  • Extended Leave, if approved by VP of Human Resources (up to 90 days) will not occur until proper medical documentation is received.

Intermittent Leave

The requirements while on intermittent leave checklist must be completed for each intermittent leave and submitted to HR Business Partner with your application for leave. Calling in consistent with your department call-in procedure is required. When reporting an unscheduled FMLA absence, you must designate the absence as FMLA at that time. If your intermittent leave provides for scheduled absences, you are required to notify your supervisor of dates and times of your absences in advance. Supporting documentation may be requested.

Returning to Work

  • If you have been off work due to your own serious health condition and your physician returns you to work with no restrictions, you must submit a physician’s release to Human Resources as soon as you receive it.
  • If your physician returns you to work with restrictions or on a part-time basis, the College may need up to five working days to determine if you will be able to perform your duties according to your job description. During this five-day period, you will remain on leave. You CANNOT return to work with restrictions until the College agrees to accept the limitations.
  • If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by the Human Resource Office, (309) 694-5720.
  • If you are returning to work from a continuous FMLA leave for caring for a family member, you must notify Human Resources of your impending return as soon as possible.
  • If you are returning to work following a worker’s compensation leave, you must take the physician’s release to Human Resources (East Peoria Campus, room 339G, 309-694-5720) in order to return to work.

Insurance

Should you find that your payable benefits do not cover the entire duration of your FMLA leave, Illinois Central College will continue your insurance program as it existed just prior to your FMLA leave. You will be billed for your normal payroll deduction amounts. If you fail to pay your bill, your insurance coverage will be terminated.

Your Rights

If you feel that your rights have been denied, please forward your appeal to the VP of Human Resources.