Here's What You Missed - April 2009
Thursday Supervisors’ Lunch Club
April 9, 2009
Topic: FMLA Update for Supervisors
Forty supervisors and managers attended the session.
If you couldn’t make it, Here's What You Missed:
Connie Cornell of Cornell, Smith & Miehl law firm, gave an overview of the Family Medical Leave Act and discussed supervisors’ responsibilities under the law, including some common pitfalls. See Handouts.
The FMLA has recently changed which means supervisors must use new forms and follow new procedures. However, the regulations are complex and there are serious consequences for non-compliance. Therefore, supervisors should:
- Familiarize themselves with the university’s Family Leave Policy;
- Review the new FMLA forms:
- Contact HR immediately if:
- You believe an employee’s health or family circumstance might be covered by FMLA; or
- An employee is out sick for more than 24 consecutive hours; or
- An employee has repeated absences for a medical condition (e.g., migraines, physical therapy, allergy shots, etc.); or
- An employee informs you of an upcoming absence (e.g., surgery, childbirth, need to care for ailing family member, etc.); or
- An employee is or requests to be absent related to military service for themselves or a family member; or
- An employee requests FMLA leave. [Note: The employee does not have to specifically request FMLA leave.]
The HR representatives responsible for FMLA are:
- Departments ACAD – KOCZ: Geri Edens, 428-1258 or gerie@stedwards.edu
- Departments LIBR - UNPG: Angi Bustamante, 428-1392 or angie@stedwards.edu
Additionally, because the new regulations rely heavily on an employee's job description - specifically duties which are determined to be essential to the job - supervisors should review and update all employee job descriptions as soon as possible to ensure that they are current, accurate and include "essential job functions". Updated job descriptions must be reviewed by Mary Dellinger (448-8542 or maryd@stedwards.edu) to ensure consistency.
Additional Info & Reminders for Supervisors
- PEPs are due in HR no later than June 30
- The Star-B-Que staff recognition party is Friday, May 15 from 3 - 5 p.m.
- Invitations will go out later this month
- The university will be closed during that time (except for essential functions)
- The party is for benefits-eligible staff employees
- Employees do not have to attend, but may take time off instead. (More information regarding how to manage & record that time will be emailed to supervisors soon.)
- There will be no Supervisors' Lunch Club in May