Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) Request

 This guide includes: 

• Family and Medical Leave Overview
• The University of Wyoming FMLA Protocols
  • Employee Eligibility
  • Family and Medical Reasons
  • Duration
  • Requesting FMLA
• FMLA Resources

Family and Medical Leave Overview

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was enacted in 1993 to help balance the increasing demands of the workplace with the needs of families, to encourage family stability and economic security, and to promote equal employment opportunity. Accordingly, benefited employees are entitled to take reasonable leave for medical reasons, for the birth or adoption of a child, and for the care of a child, spouse, or parent who has a serious health condition.

The University of Wyoming FMLA Protocols

Consistent with the mandates of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, the University of Wyoming provides job-protected leave from work for eligible employees for family and medical reasons.

• Employee Eligibility

UW-benefited employees are eligible for FMLA once they have worked at least 12 months (it does not need to be consecutive) and at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months prior to the start of the intended leave.

• Family and Medical Reasons

  • Incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care, or childbirth.
  • To care for the employee’s child after birth, or placement for adoption, or foster care.
  • To care for the employee’s spouse, son or daughter, or parent, who has a serious health condition.
  • A benefited employee is diagnosed with a serious health condition that makes the individual unable to perform the essential functions of their job.
  • There are also qualified exigencies for eligible benefited employees whose spouse, son, daughter, or parent is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status.

• Duration

Eligible benefited employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave within a 12-month period, or up to 26 weeks to care for a covered service member during a single 12-month period.

• Requesting FMLA

Eligible benefited employees are required to give 30 days advance notice to both their supervisor and Human Resources before taking FMLA. When 30 days advance notice is not feasible, employees must provide notice as soon as possible. To request FMLA, please complete the FMLA Request Form.

FMLA Resources

• The Employee Handbook details the University of Wyoming’s FMLA policies.
• Employee Benefits: Family and Medical Leave webpage.