FMLA and LOA Information

The Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.  It also provides for the maintenance of benefits and helps employees balance work, health and family.

 

Regardless of whether an employee has sufficient paid leave time to cover his/her absences, in order to inform employees of their rights and responsibilities under FMLA and/or determine leave of absence eligibility, Human Resources must be notified of:

  • Any family or medical-related absence of more than three consecutive days
  • An absence due to a period of incapacity & in-patient treatment*
  • Any employee with a pattern of intermittent absences 

*In-patient treatment must be received by a medical professional (HCP), in their facility (doctor's office, etc.) and (1) be followed by at least one more in-person treatment within thirty days (a follow-up) or (2) have a a regimen of continuing treatment, under the supervision of the HCP.

 

To Request a Leave of Absence
Please review the FMLA/Collin College Leave Policies & Procedures and then select the appropriate link below describing your reason for leave in order to review the Required Documentation specific to your leave circumstance.


FMLA/Collin College Leave Policies & Procedures

Collin College Board Policy regarding Leaves and Absences (DEC Local)
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Fact Sheet #28.

 

Required Documentation (select the link below specific to your leave circumstance):

Employee's Own Serious Health Condition

Care for a Spouse, Son, Daughter, or Parent with a Serious Health Condition
Birth and Care of a Newborn Child of the Employee
Placement with the the Employee of a Son or Daughter for Adoption or Foster Care
Qualifying Military Exigency Leave
Illness/Injury of a Covered Service Member

 

Additional Information & Resources

Sick Leave Pool
Frequently Asked Questions

 


Required Documentation

Employee's Own Serious Health Condition
  1. Request for Leave of Absence Form - complete as soon as need for leave is known

  2. Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee's Serious Health Condition Form - complete within 15 days of request for leave

  3. Fitness for Duty/Return to Work Form - must be received prior to returning to work

  4. Prior to taking FML time, the employee will need to ensure their time off is entered through Workday absence reporting. If the employee needs to miss work unexpectedly and returns during the designated time clock week, the employee should enter his/her time upon return to work. In the event the employee is unable to enter his/her time within the designated week, the supervisor or the Human Resources/Benefits team will enter the information on their behalf.  In this case, Human Resources/Benefits team will allocate the employee's paid time-off based on their available leave balances.                                                             


  Care for a Spouse, Son, Daughter or Parent with Serious Health Condition
  1. Request for Leave of Absence Form  - submit as soon as need for leave is known

  2. Certification of Health Care Provider for Family Member's Serious Health Condition form - complete within 15 days of request for leave

  3. Prior to taking FML time, the employee will need to ensure their time off is entered through Workday absence reporting. If the employee needs to miss work unexpectedly and returns during the designated time clock week, the employee should enter his/her time upon return to work. In the event the employee is unable to enter his/her time within the designated week, the supervisor or the Human Resources/Benefits team will enter the information on their behalf.  In this case, Human Resources/Benefits team will allocate the employee's paid time-off based on their available leave balances. 


Birth and Care of a Newborn Child of the Employee
  1. Request for Leave of Absence Form - complete as soon as need for leave is known

  2. Prior to taking FML time, the employee will need to ensure their time off is entered through Workday absence reporting. If the employee needs to miss work unexpectedly and returns during the designated time clock week, the employee should enter his/her time upon return to work. In the event the employee is unable to enter his/her time within the designated week, the supervisor or the Human Resources/Benefits team will enter the information on their behalf.  In this case, Human Resources/Benefits team will allocate the employee's paid time-off based on their available leave balances.

AND Documentation specific to your circumstance below:

Employee giving birth to own biological child:

  1. Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee's Serious Health Condition Form - complete within 15 days of request for leave   

  2. Fitness for Duty/Return to Work Form - must be received prior to returning to work

OR

Employee caring for spouse following birth of child:

  1. Certification of Health Care Provider for Family Member's Serious Health Condition Form - complete within 15 days of request for leave  

 


Placement with the Employee of a Child for Adoption or Foster Care
  1. Request for Leave of Absence Form  - complete as soon as need for leave is known

  2. Copy of Adoption or Foster Placement Documentation

  3. Prior to taking FML time, the employee will need to ensure their time off is entered through Workday absence reporting. If the employee needs to miss work unexpectedly and returns during the designated time clock week, the employee should enter his/her time upon return to work. In the event the employee is unable to enter his/her time within the designated week, the supervisor or the Human Resources/Benefits team will enter the information on their behalf.  In this case, Human Resources/Benefits team will allocate the employee's paid time-off based on their available leave balances. 

 


Qualifying Military Exigency Leave
  1. Request for Leave of Absence Form - submit as soon as need for leave is known

  2. Certification of Qualifying Exigency Form - complete within 15 days of request for leave

  3. All FMLA-related absences must be entered into Time Clock Plus as "900-MISC" by either the employee or his/her supervisor.

 


Illness/Injury of a Covered Service Member
  1. Request for Leave of Absence Form - submit as soon as need for leave is known

  2. Certification of Serious Injury of Illness of Covered Service Member - complete within 15 days of request for leave

  3. Certification of Serious Injury or Illness of Veteran - complete within 15 days of request     for leave

  4. Prior to taking FML time, the employee will need to ensure their time off is entered through Workday absence reporting. If the employee needs to miss work unexpectedly and returns during the designated time clock week, the employee should enter his/her time upon return to work. In the event the employee is unable to enter his/her time within the designated week, the supervisor or the Human Resources/Benefits team will enter the information on their behalf.  In this case, Human Resources/Benefits team will allocate the employee's paid time-off based on their available leave balances.

 


Additional Information & Resources

Sick Leave Pool Information

If your leave of absence will extend beyond your eligibility to receive earned paid leave and is for your own serious health condition, please complete the forms listed below near the time your paid leave will expire

  1. Application for Sick Leave Pool (SLP) Form

  2. Sick Leave Pool Medical Certification Form

Please note, employees who in grant-funded positions are not eligible for Sick Leave Pool.

 


Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Is FMLA leave paid? 
    If employee is approved for FMLA leave, FMLA leave runs concurrently with any available paid leave.  Therefore, FMLA leave begins on the day of the employee's first FMLA-related absence, NOT after paid leave is exhausted.  Any eligible earned paid leave must be used before leave without pay is permitted.  Leave without pay is only permitted while on an approved leave of absence.  Human Resources is responsible for determining paid and unpaid leave eligibility for employees on FMLA or other leaves of absence.

  2. May employees on FMLA use credit (unearned) vacation time?
    Credit (unearned) vacation for that fiscal year may not be used during an approved FMLA leave of absence.  
    Vacation is earned on the last calendar day of each month at a rate based on the employee's length of service with the college.

  3. Do employees accrue leave time while in leave without pay status?
    Employees must be either at work, or in paid leave status on the last workday of the calendar month to earn their sick or vacation accruals that month.

  4. Do employees receive holiday pay while in leave without pay status?
    Employees must be either at work, or in paid leave status BOTH the day prior to and the day after the holiday in order to receive holiday pay.

  5. What if an employee is not eligible for FMLA leave?
    Regular full-time employees who have not yet worked the required 12 months and 1250 hours to qualify for FMLA may use any earned paid leave they have accrued, plus a maximum of 20 days (160 hours) of leave without pay for their own serious health condition only.  Non-FMLA leaves of absence require appropriate documentation and must still be approved by human resources.   

  6. What if an employee has a pattern of excessive absenteeism that is not covered under an approved FMLA or non-FMLA leave of absence?
    Employees may be placed in a restricted leave status for excessive absenteeism or a pattern of absences or abuse of leave that is not covered under FMLA. The restricted leave status would result in restricted use of leave balances, requirements for additional documentation, and would be grounds for leave without pay and/or other disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.  Supervisors who have concerns about an employee's absenteeism should contact Human Resources to discuss appropriate procedures and to ensure the employee does not qualify for leave under FMLA. 

  7. Do part-time employees qualify for FMLA?
    While most part-time employees will not qualify for FMLA, certain part-time employees who have worked for the college for at least 12 months and 1250 hours within the past 12 months may qualify.  Therefore, supervisors should always notify HR of any leave of absence requests in order to verify FMLA eligibility. 

  8. How do I start a claim if I am enrolled in Short and/or Long-term Disability coverage?
    For information on short or long term disability benefits or claim procedures, visit the ERS website and look for the Texas Income Protection Plan. Once an employee has met their waiting period and has exhausted all their available sick leave (whichever is greater), the claim may be eligible for payment.

 
 

MichelleMichelle Benvie
Assistant Director, Benefits and Compensation
(972) 599-3164
mbenvie@collin.edu


Benefits Team

Main Line: (972) 599-3152
benefits@collin.edu

TaraTara Rice
HR Generalist, Benefits
(972) 758-3849
Fax (972) 599-3156
tcrice@collin.edu

MiliMili Kim
HR Specialist, Benefits
(972) 758-3886
Fax (972) 599-3156
mkim@collin.edu

VinnaVinna Cook
HR Generalist, Benefits (Part-time)
(972) 599-3152
Fax (972) 599-3156
vcook@collin.edu