HR Operations

Requesting FMLA leave

Last updated: September 22, 2023

This page applies to all staff, academic personnel, and student employees.

When to notify

Give at least 30 days’ notice, if you know in advance of your need for a leave of absence.

If you learn of your need for time off or a leave of absence less than 30 days ahead of time, request it as soon as you are able.

You do not need to tell your manager any specifics about your health circumstances or those of your family member. However, you do need to provide enough information so that your manager can understand that your absence may be covered by the FMLA.

Submitting your FMLA request

For campus staff and academic personnel: Request a leave of absence within Workday by selecting either:

  • Leave of Absence – General Leave Request – Sick/Injured/Family Member Care
  • Leave of Absence – General Leave Request – Becoming a Parent

For medical centers staff:

What form do I need?

Health-related or Parental Leave: If your absence is for your own, or a family member’s health condition, or for the arrival of a new child, you will need to submit a health-care provider certification form, supporting your need for a leave of absence.

Complete the employee information sections of the appropriate form(s) for your situation. Include your contact information. We need that information so that we can communicate with you and your manager regarding your leave needs as explained by your healthcare provider. Your health-care provider should complete the medical information section.

There are links to all of the FMLA forms below. You will also be directed to these forms when you request a leave of absence in Workday.

Submit the completed form, using the Human Resources contact information listed on the form. Do not attach medical documents to your leave request in Workday.

The form must be returned to HR within 15 days of receipt. Your healthcare provider may fax your completed paperwork to HR, but we recommend that you get a copy yourself so that you can send it to HR directly, if necessary. Provider offices are well intentioned, but HR forms may not be their highest priority!

What if I don’t know how much time I will need?

Medical conditions can change and sometimes you don’t know how much FMLA leave you will need to take. You and your (or your family member’s) health care provider need to provide the best estimate of the length of time or frequency of absences you will need based on what is known at the time. If your certification contains responses such as “unknown”, “TBD” or timeframes are left blank, we may be unable to approve your FMLA request. If you require more or less leave than you originally thought, you can always provide an updated certification.

Call to military duty leave: If your time off or leave of absence is related to a family member being called to military duty, complete the appropriate form below, and submit it to HR with the requested supporting documentation within 15 days of receiving the form. Contact your HR leave specialist with any questions you may have.

Health-care provider certification forms
Campus

FMLA (campus) Parental Leave for Birth Parent (PDF)
FMLA (campus) Parental Leave for Parent other than Birth Parent (PDF)
FMLA (campus) Personal Serious Health Condition (PDF)
FMLA (campus) Family Member's Serious Health Condition (PDF)
FMLA (campus) Serious Injury or Illness of Military Family Member (PDF)
FMLA (campus) Military Family Qualifying Exigency (PDF)

Medical centers

FMLA (med centers) Personal Serious Health Condition - Maternity/Pregnancy (PDF)

FMLA (med centers) Personal Serious Health Condition (PDF)
FMLA (med centers) Family Member's Serious Health Condition (PDF)
FMLA (med centers) Serious Injury or Illness of Military Family Member (PDF)
FMLA (med centers) Military Family Qualifying Exigency (PDF)

What happens after I submit my form?

Once you submit your form(s), your leave specialist will review the information you provided, and if it is sufficient, an email will be sent to your manager advising them of the dates and type of leave you have been approved for.

If the information provided isn’t sufficient, your leave specialist will be in touch with you for follow up with your health-care provider.

Confidentiality

We protect the confidentiality of your health information. You should not disclose your own or your family member’s medical diagnosis to your manager or department. Any required certification should be submitted directly to Human Resources, where it will be kept confidential and separate from your personnel file.

Periodic updates

During your absence, we may ask that you update us periodically about your ability to return to work. If your need for a leave of absence changes significantly or is longer than anticipated, we may ask for an updated health-care provider certification.

Calling out

If your situation has been approved for intermittent FMLA, any time you need to be absent for your FMLA reason, you must indicate the time off is for your FMLA-certified situation. Let your manager know if you are missing a day of work for a cold (not FMLA) or to care for your family member with a serious health condition (FMLA). If you have more than one approved FMLA leave, you may need to identify which one you are using when communicating with your manager.

Employees are not responsible for finding coverage related to their approved leave, nor may they be penalized for taking job-protected leave.