Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Wesleyan is covered by the Federal and Connecticut FMLAs and, accordingly, provides to eligible employees up to 12 weeks in a 12-month period or 16 weeks in a 24-month period of unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons. The 12- and 24-month periods are determined by using a rolling period measured backward from an employee’s first day of leave. Employees are eligible if they have worked for at least 12 months and for 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months for the federal leave and 12 months and 1,000 hours over the previous 12 months for the Connecticut leave.

Unpaid leave will be granted for any of the following reasons:

• The birth or adoption of a child or the foster care placement of a child;
• To care for the employee’s spouse, child, parents, parents-in-law, or domestic partner who has a serious health condition;
• For a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of their job;
• For any qualifying exigency (e.g., short notice deployment, attending military events and related activities, counseling, arranging for childcare or schooling, making financial and legal arrangements, and rest and recuperation) arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces, in support of a contingency operation, an employee may take up to 12 weeks of leave during any 12-month period.
• A spouse, son, daughter, parent, or the nearest blood relative of a covered service member may take up to 26 weeks of leave during a 12-month period to care for a service member who is recovering from a serious illness or injury sustained in the line of duty while on active duty.

NOTE: At the employee’s or employer’s option, certain kinds of paid leave may be substituted for unpaid leave.  Read more detailed information regarding the provision of FMLA or contact Human Resources.