LEARN MORE ABOUT LEAVE

What is Medical Leave?

• Do you need to take a leave of absence for your own health condition?

Types of reasons for this type of leave include:

• Pregnancy
• Accident
• Illness
• Injury not related to work
• These are all considered non-occupational medical leaves, and you may be eligible for a short-term disability (STD) leave. You can take a medical leave for a set period, on a reduced schedule, or sporadically.

What is Family Care Leave?

Do you need to take time off to care for a family member?

Family Care Leave allows you to step away from work to support a loved one during important life moments or health-related needs. This includes:

• Caring for a family member with a serious health condition
• Bonding with a newborn, adopted, or foster child
• Supporting a family member during military deployment or recovery

You may be eligible for unpaid family and medical leave under both federal and District of Columbia laws. If you’ve worked at least 1,000 hours in the past 12 months and have completed one year of continuous employment, you may qualify for:

• Up to 16 weeks of family leave under the DC Family and Medical Leave Act (within a 24-month period)
• Up to 12 weeks of family leave under the Federal FMLA (within a 12-month period)

Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for the birth of a child or the placement of a child for adoption or foster care. This leave allows time to bond with the new child and must be taken within 12 months of the birth or placement.

Parental leave may be taken in a continuous block or, in some cases, on a reduced schedule if agreed upon by the employee and employer. If both parents are employed by the University, they may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of FMLA leave for bonding with a new child.

While FMLA leave is unpaid, employees may choose—or may be required—to use accrued paid leave (such as vacation or sick leave) during their FMLA leave period. Health benefits will continue during the leave under the same terms as if the employee were actively working.

Employees must provide 30 days’ advance notice when the need for leave is foreseeable. Documentation, such as a birth certificate or placement paperwork, may be required. Employees may also be eligible for DC Paid Family Leave or Short-Term Disability benefits depending on their circumstances.

Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for certain qualifying needs related to a family member’s active duty or call to active duty in the Armed Forces. These needs may include attending military events, arranging childcare, addressing financial or legal matters, or participating in post-deployment activities.

This leave is available to employees whose spouse, child, or parent is on covered active duty. Leave may be taken in a continuous block or on an intermittent basis, depending on the nature of the exigency.

Employees must provide notice as soon as practicable and may be required to submit documentation supporting the need for leave.

Eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness. This includes current members of the Armed Forces or veterans undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy.

The employee must be the servicemember’s spouse, child, parent, or next of kin. This leave is separate from the standard 12-week FMLA entitlement and may be combined with other FMLA leave types, not to exceed 26 total weeks in a 12-month period.

Medical certification is required.

DC Paid Family Leave provides paid time off for eligible employees working for a covered DC employer. Benefits are available for:

• Parental leave (up to 12 weeks)
• Family caregiving (up to 12 weeks)
• Medical leave for your own serious health condition (up to 12 weeks)
• Prenatal leave (up to 2 weeks)

The maximum combined leave is 12 weeks per year, or 14 weeks for pregnant individuals using both prenatal and parental leave.

To qualify, you must have wages reported to the DC Department of Employment Services. Applications must be submitted within 30 days of the qualifying event. Visit dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov to apply or learn more.

Short-Term Disability (STD) provides partial income replacement if you are unable to work due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. This benefit is administered by MetLife and typically covers 6 to 12 weeks, depending on your condition and plan.

To apply, notify your supervisor and contact MetLife at 855-855-1563 or visit metlife.com/mybenefits. You’ll need to submit medical certification and may be asked to complete an authorization form for your healthcare provider.

STD may run concurrently with FMLA leave.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to perform essential job functions, you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Accommodations may include modified duties, adjusted schedules, assistive devices, or other workplace changes.

To begin the process, submit a request to the HR Leave Team along with supporting medical documentation. The University will work with you to determine appropriate accommodations while maintaining confidentiality.

ADA accommodations are handled on a case-by-case basis and do not require you to take leave unless medically necessary.

Intermittent leave allows you to take FMLA leave in separate blocks of time or on a reduced schedule when medically necessary. This is often used for ongoing treatment, recovery periods, or chronic conditions that flare up periodically.

You must provide medical certification indicating the need for intermittent leave. When possible, planned treatments should be scheduled to minimize disruption to your work.

Intermittent leave counts toward your total FMLA entitlement and must be tracked carefully. For help setting up a schedule or understanding your options, create a case.