For some Florida businesses, tracking an employee who is on leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act can be difficult. However, there are some software solutions that may be available to help track which employees are eligible for FMLA leave.
In order for an employee to be eligible for FMLA leave, the employee must have worked for the employer for at least 12 months and a minimum of 1,250 hours. Keeping track of how many hours employees have worked can be difficult if they telecommute or work flexible schedules. Additionally, some employees may become eligible for short-term disability with different requirements. Self-service software can potentially allow management or even employees to enter data.
Some employers choose to outsource leave management. This often means sending out a week’s worth of information to the outside administrator. If an employee calls in a leave, the administrator can then tell the employer if that employee is eligible. The administrator will also assist with scheduling leave and letting the employer know when the employee’s FMLA leave will start. Outsourcing can be a financial strain for small businesses. However, handling leave in-house can also be difficult if the employers do not have experiencing with leave.
If an employee is eligible for FMLA leave but has a request denied or is fired, an attorney can assist in filing a claim against the employer. The Family and Medical Leave Act comes under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Labor, and an attorney can outline the steps and procedures that need to be followed when seeking redress.