Leave Manager Overview

Modified on Wed, 3 May, 2023 at 2:27 PM

What is Leave of Absence?

If you have ever become a parent, had a serious injury, or been the primary caregiver for an ill or disabled family member, you may have taken a leave of absence. An employee's leave of absence, or leave, is permission for an employee to be away from work for an extended period. Unlike Paid Time Off, a leave is usually requested by employees experiencing unique life circumstances.

There are many varieties of leaves. Leave may be medical or personal, planned, or unplanned, voluntary, or involuntary, and even mandated by law.

Leave Legislation

When building leave policies, companies must consider applicable federal and state leave legislation.

Federal Legislation

The most well-known leave legislation is the Family Medical Leave Act, or FMLA. FMLA is a federal law that entitles eligible employees of applicable employers to take up to 12 weeks (about 3 months) of unpaid, job-protected leave for family and medical reasons.

Companies and employees must meet certain criteria for FMLA to apply. Expand each section to learn more.

FMLA Employer Criteria

FMLA applies to all public agencies, all public and private elementary and secondary schools, and companies with 50 or more employees.

FMLA Employee Criteria

To qualify for FMLA, an employee must:

be employed with the company for 12 months or more.
work at least 1,250 hours (about 1 month 3 weeks) during the 12 months prior to leave.
work for an employer that employs 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius of the worksite.

State Legislation

Many states have their own leave laws that companies must follow. For example, the California Family Rights Act, or CFRA, is almost identical to FMLA with a few exceptions, such as a lower employer size requirement and the inclusion of domestic partners.

Another example is the Massachusetts Small Necessities Leave Act. This law states that employers must allow up to 24 hours of leave per year for employees to participate in children's educational activities or to accompany a child, spouse, or elderly relative to routine medical appointments.

How Leave Manager Helps

		Leave Manager allows companies to automate and streamline the administration and tracking of leave policies and cases.
Configurable leave rules, types, duration, and eligibility criteria ensure that leave policies are enforced consistently, fairly, and in compliance with federal and state law.
		Qualifier questionnaires along with request and case workflows streamline employee and manager leave tasks.
Integration with timesheets and schedules and real-time leave reporting improves case management efficiency and increases transparency for managers and employees.