One of the easiest ways to allow your employees to get some rest and recovery time is to include a leave of absence policy.
As a business owner, you should be taking care of your employees. Many state labor laws mandate this statement. Ultimately, you must value individuals over profits. After all, it is your team that builds your reputation. Small businesses may thrive when everything or everyone has something to contribute; it’s not only the senior executives or owner. One of the easiest ways to allow your employees get some rest and recovery time is to include a leave of absence policy. If your company already has one implemented, that’s great! Otherwise, the time has come to update one. Think about it.
How does the Leave of Absence Policy Work?
Paid time off, aka PTO, is classified differently from a leave of absence. This is because PTO is a catch-all term for sick days and vacation. However, a leave of absence policy is designed to address unique life circumstances. For example, new parents can take paternity and maternity leave, or an employee with a medical condition or severe injury can take this time off to get back to good health. In addition, mandatory leaves come with job protection, so employees can’t be laid off while temporarily unemployed.
So, When Can Employees Request Leave?
There are notable exceptions when it comes to the FMLA or EFMLA laws. With that in mind, it can be challenging to distinguish when employees may complete a leave of absence policy and when to deny their requests for reasonable justifications. Also, unpaid leave and personal leave time enter the picture here, but the policy belonging to each situation depends on the company and not on federal or state regulation.
In this case, an unconventional cost-benefit analysis may be necessary. Additionally, marriages and funerals are significant events in everyone’s lives. So, regaining a spark of joy or reaching a sense of closure can relieve possible burnout that might destroy your employees’ ability to focus on their work performance.
How Long Can the Leave of Absence Policy Last?
Under the FMLA, your employees can take a max of 12 weeks off within a year. However, the catch is that they should have logged 1,250 hours by then. In contrast, the EFMLA is slightly lenient because, after thirty days, the employee can take time off. The FMLA and EFMLA both include provisions for workers caring for a loved one who is currently sick.
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Are you a business looking to provide your employees with essential voluntary benefits? If so, look no further than The MWE Partnership. When you choose The MWE Partnership, you get experienced service and comprehensive voluntary benefit options that will meet all your employees’ needs. With over 17 years of experience, The MWE Partnership is your go-to provider for all your supplemental benefit needs. If you are interested in finding out how The MWE Partnership can help your business, contact us today! We encourage you to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest voluntary benefit news!