Why do I need to have my doctor complete the FMLA form

Why do I need to have my doctor complete the FMLA form?

The information requested on the Family & Medical Leave medical certification form is required by federal law to be provided to the employer. The law requires the employer to determine if requested time off is for a “serious health condition” of the employee (or qualifying relative) or is for the birth/adoption of the employee’s child.

The patient’s treating health care provider must complete the medical certification form within 15 days describing the medical facts that relate to one of the six (6) allowable serious health conditions. The six (6) allowable conditions are:

Hospital Care (inpatient care)

Absence plus Treatment (more than 3 consecutive days incapacity and 2 or more treatments by a health care provider; or, more than 3 consecutive days incapacity and 1 treatment with a regimen of continuing treatment.

Pregnancy (periods of incapacity or pre-natal care)

Chronic Conditions requiring treatment

Permanent/Long-term condition requiring medical supervisions

Multiple treatment (non-chronic conditions which would result in periods of incapacity of more than 3 days if not treated.)

Eligible employees taking leaves of absence for above reasons are protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The law requires that the employer determine if the absence is FMLA covered and to notify the employee of the determination. In order to make this determination, the information requested on the form must be provided by the patient’s medical provider so a correct determination can be made by the employer.

The law also allows the employer to ask the medical provider about the length of time the employee might be expected to be away from work, the duration of the course of treatment, a general description of a regimen of continuing treatment (if any), duration and frequency of episodic periods of incapacity, etc.

As you may already know, any business (including ABX Air) has the right to know when its employees are going to be absent from work, how long an employee might be absent, when an employee can be expected to return to work, and a general understanding of the reasons why the employee is unable to fulfill their work commitment to the employer. This allows employers to plan their staffing needs to ensure company’s service commitments are kept for our customers. It also allows employers to address the minority of employees that do not have acceptable reasons for missing work.

The company is not interested in having knowledge of every detail of a medical condition. The government mandated FML certification form allows employers to receive the necessary information needed to comply with the FMLA and to obtain an understanding of reasons and expected duration of an employee’s absence while still maintaining medical record confidentiality.

Revised: October 29, 2012.