The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was initially signed into law in 1993. The FMLA is an act that allows any eligible employee the right to take job-protected, unpaid leave for specific reasons that include qualifying medical leave and family issues.
As a potentially eligible employee who wants to make use of the FMLA for medical leave or family issues, you might be wondering how FMLA works in Ohio. As experienced lawyers who handle FMLA cases of all kinds, our FMLA lawyers answer some brief questions regarding how FMLA works in Ohio below.
How Does FMLA Work in Ohio?
The FMLA is a federal law that provides job-protected unpaid leave for eligible employees. The FMLA is available to eligible employees in Ohio and allows them to take “up to twelve workweeks of leave per rolling twelve-month period” for the following events that qualify:
- If an individual is incapacitated due to pregnancy, childbirth, or prenatal medical care
- Caring for an individual’s spouse, parent, or child who has a serious health condition
- A serious health condition that the individual has that causes an individual to be unable to perform their job
- Caring for an individual’s child after birth or placement for adoption or foster care
The next question you may have in regard to how the FMLA works in Ohio is how to know if you are considered an eligible employee. An employee is eligible to make use of FMLA if they meet both of these requirements:
- An employee has been employed for at least 12 months (individuals can become qualified during their medical leave if it begins prior to 12 months but continues beyond the one year mark)
- An employee has been “inactive work status” (i.e. actually working) at least 1,250 hours over the last 12 months
If you are eligible to make use of FMLA medical leave, you can go ahead and put in a request for FMLA medical leave. This request may require medical certification to verify the health issues you or your family members are dealing with.
How Much Does it Cost to Get FMLA Paperwork Filled Out in Ohio?
Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to the question of how much does it cost to get FMLA paperwork filled out in Ohio. According to the guidelines set forth by the FMLA, if your employer requests medical certification for you to take FMLA leave, the cost is fully up to you. Read also: Intermittent FMLA Leave VS Continuous FMLA Leave
You are responsible for the overall cost of obtaining the necessary medical certifications from a health provider. You will typically only have 15 calendar days in which to get the medical certification to your employer as well. However, this is the minimum time you are to be provided. If you need additional time, you may be entitled to such additional time in order to obtain the FMLA medical certification.
Since it is up to you to handle the cost of the medical certification and each healthcare provider may have different prices, there is no specific way to know how much it will cost to get FMLA paperwork filled out in Ohio. You may also want to check with your insurance to see if FMLA paperwork will be covered by your insurance plan. Read also: Types of FMLA Leave
Reach Out to Coffman Legal’s FMLA Attorneys For A Consultation
Here at Coffman Legal, our team of FMLA lawyers has a wide range of extensive experience in handling family and medical leave cases. If you have specific questions about FMLA such as what we explored here that you want to ask or if you think you are dealing with an FMLA violation, reach out to us today! Our experienced employment lawyers regularly handle FMLA interference and FMLA retaliation disputes. Your employer cannot interfere with your rights to take FMLA medical leave and it cannot retaliate against you for taking FMLA-protected medical leave.
We can help you better understand your rights in regard to FMLA medical leave and how it works with respect to your employment. Contact our FMLA lawyers today at 614-949-1181!
