South Carolina FMLA

The protection due under the South Carolina FMLA demands that employees observe some requirements. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a law that allows workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in certain circumstances.

The first of these requirements is that if possible, the employer must notify the employee in writing about the status of the leave. The notice should also include instructions the employee must follow. If the employee must stay in communication with the office, the employer must specify how and when he or she has to do it. Employees who remain on good terms with the employer and comply with the instructions will have peace of mind.

Another requirement is to sign a written agreement about continued medical coverage. If employees have medical insurance that is paid by a deduction in earnings, when they go on leave, they need to make a provision to continue coverage.  Employers may choose to continue with the payments and allow the employees to repay them when they return to work. Other employers will require that employees pay for insurance each month.

All of us are exposed to emergencies and stressful moments. With Mother’s Day and Father’s this time of year, it’s a great time to take another look at what the South Carolina FMLA law says. This act is very important for all of us because it protects our position in our company in the case of a difficult situation.

One way to spread information about the South Carolina FMLA is displaying a poster in every jobsite. The FMLA applies to companies with 50 or more employees. It also applies to public employees and teachers regardless of organization size.  The FMLA poster must contain the fundamentals of the law, such as eligibility and advantages of the act.
The FMLA is a federal law. Some states have decided to take on their own FMLA rules that in general are like the federal standards. In the case of South Carolina, the state has chosen to adhere to the federal program.