In the season of Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day it’s natural to think about family. It’s also a good time to think again about the Idaho FMLA law. The Idaho Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is designed to help you when you need to turn your focus away from work for a while and direct your attention to the needs of your loved ones.
The Idaho FMLA is there for the times when family lives are under stress – either good stress or bad – and need full attention. It provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for circumstances like these:
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The birth or adoption of a child.
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Bringing a foster child into your home.
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When a member of your immediate family has a serious health problem.
All private employers with 50 or more workers must abide by the Idaho FMLA law. Public employees and schoolteachers are covered despite staff size. It’s important to remember that under the USERRA, time on active military duty counts towards hours worked to qualify for FMLA.
There are some responsibilities that must be fulfilled by you or your employer if you’re using, or plan to make use of, the FMLA. For example, your employer should provide immediate notice in writing to you explaining the status of your leave and letting you know how and when to keep in touch with your place of business in so you can be certain of maintaining your position. In turn, you’re obliged to respond to those written instructions to stay in good stead with your employer.
If you’re on unpaid leave and have medical coverage deducted from your paychecks, your employer can continue your deductions to make sure your coverage remains active. However, that will cost you later. Those deductions while you’re on leave and not receiving your wage or salary must be paid for somehow. The employer will consider those deductions as advances against future paychecks. The money will then come out of future earnings. Your and your employer should sign a written agreement making this arrangement clear.
The Idaho FMLA poster needs to be displayed at all jobsites throughout the state.
