What is the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?

The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. Eligible employees are entitled to: 

Twelve workweeks of leave in a 12-month period (beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the next year) for:

• The birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth;
• The placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement;
• To care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition; 
• A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job;
• Any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty;” or Twenty-six workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the service member’s spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (military caregiver leave). 

Pursuant to Public Act 102-0275 (HB 0816), the use of paid sick leave following the birth of a child has changed. While the use of paid sick leave following the birth of a child is still limited to 30 working days, it: 

• Is not dependent on the need to recover from birth; 
• May be used any time within the 12-month period following the birth; and 
• May not be diminished because of any break period, such as summer, winter, spring break, or holidays (For example, an employee who gave birth in June 2021, could use up to 30 available paid sick days at the start of the 2021-2022 school year or any time within the 12-month period following the birth). 

• Board Policy 5:185- Family and Medical Leave 
• Board Policy 5:330- Sick Days, Vacation, Holidays, and Leaves 

Employee Rights Under the FMLA

• Employee Rights under FMLA 

Requesting a Leave Under the FMLA 

If the need for the FMLA leave is foreseeable, an employee must provide the Human Resources Department with at least 30 days’ advance notice before the leave is to begin. If 30 days’ advance notice is not practicable, the notice must be given as soon as practicable. Employees shall make a reasonable effort to schedule a planned medical treatment so as not to disrupt the District’s operations, subject to the approval of the health care provider administering the treatment. The employee must provide at least verbal notice sufficient to make the Human Resources Department aware that he or she needs FMLA leave, and the anticipated timing and duration of the leave.

Employees requesting a leave under the FMLA must have their health care provider fully complete and sign the appropriate form. Licensed doctors, podiatrists, dentists, clinical psychologists, optometrists, chiropractors, nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, clinical social workers, and physician assistants may complete the FMLA form. Along with the completed FMLA form, the employee should submit a letter requesting FMLA, indicating the estimated start and end date of their leave and the number of sick days they intend to use. 

For FMLA forms and more information please contact:

Carrie Tisch -Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources

5318 West 135th Street
Crestwood, IL 60418
Blue Island, IL, 60406

708-385-6800