Absence Update

Reed Group’s Absence Update (formerly called FMLA Update) is published quarterly and distributed via email. Sign up today and receive the industry’s best expertise on administering FMLA, state FML and other leave laws.

June 2012—Quarter 2

  • Medical Absence Policies—Don’t Ask Why!
  • Workplace Leave Of Absence Implications for Returning Military
  • Senate Bills Propose Expansion Of Veterans’ Leave And Reemployment Rights
  • The Challenges of FMLA “Family Care” Leave

March 2012—Quarter 1

  • What is Your USERRA IQ?
  • DOL Proposes New Regulations to Support 2009 FMLA Ammendments
  • FMLA Forms in 2012 - What's an Employer To Do?

Dec. 2011—Quarter 4

  • Connecticut Paid Sick Leave&endash;Employers, Start Your Engines
    • Service Worker
    • 680 Hours of Employment
    • Pay Rate
    • Documentation
  • Employer’s Toolbox: Use Your Sick Leave Policy to Curb FMLA Abuse
    • Pellegrino v. Communications Workers of America
    • Callison v. City of Philadelphia
  • Same-Sex Unions – What’s Happening Where?
    • California
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • District of Columbia
    • Hawaii
    • Illinois
    • Iowa
    • Et Cetera
  • The Importance of Getting It “Just Right”: Communications with Employees on FMLA Leave
    • Set a Procedure
    • Train HR
    • Train Supervisors
    • Bonus Lesson!

Sept. 2011—Quarter 3

  • FMLA Abuse or Misuse? Use your tools!
    • Part I: Employer Fights FMLA Abuse with an Attendance Policy and an Independent Review
    • Part II: Pack Your Toolkit with these FMLA Abuse-Fighting Tools
  • Connecticut Paid Sick Leave is Coming
    • Key Definitions
    • Accruals and Usage
    • Employee Required Notices
    • Employer Required Notices
    • Retaliation Prohibited—A Very Broad Provision
    • What Employers Should Do
  • The EEOC Beat Goes On
    • Where the Employer Went Wrong
    • EEOC Finding
    • The Penalty
    • Recent Cases
    • Reed Group Recommendation
  • California Organ and Bone Marrow Donation Act—Update
    • Leave Time is Taken as Business Days
    • 12 Months
    • Time-Based Benefits
    • Use of Accrued PTO
    • California Organ and Bone Marrow Donation Act—As Amended
  • Is Physical Proximity to Your Family Member Necessary to Provide Psychological Care?
    • Yard Work in Texas?
    • Physical Proximity and Participation
    • What Should Employers Do?

June 2011—Quarter 2

  • New ADAAA Regulations
    • Build the ADA Interactive Accommodation Step into Absence Management Processes
    • "We Don't Allow That for Other Employees" Doesn't Avoid ADA Accommodation Obligations
    • Definitions of"Disability" Vary Greatly
    • The Reduced Threshold for "Disability" May Impact Other Employee Leave Rights
  • ADA Lawsuits on the Rise
    • Supervalu | Jewel Food Stores
    • United Airlines
    • Sears, Roebuck and Co.
  • USERRA & FMLA
    • Cat's Paw Theory
  • FMLA
    • Requiring Doctor Notes for Absences Interferes with FMLA Rights
    • Employers Victorious in FMLA Call-In Cases: Lessons to be Learned

February 2011—Quarter 1

  • GINA Final Regulations: Absence Management for Employers
    • GINA Provisions Relating to Acquisition of Medical Information
    • GINA Definitions
    • Exceptions to the Acquisition of Genetic Information
    • GINA Warning Required
    • Information for Employee Leave to Care for a Family Member
    • Special Requirements for Job-Related Medical Examinations
    • Limitations on Disclosure of Genetic Information
    • Reed Group's Response
  • FMLA and ADA - Cases of Note
    • New DOL Program Likely to Increase Lawsuits
    • $3.2 Million Decree . . .
    • $8.1 Million Pricetag . . .
    • Be Careful What You Promise Employees: equitable estoppel
    • No Good (Leave Management) Deed Goes Unpunished
  • USERRA Note
    • Protections Arise Before an Employee Is Called to Active Duty
  • State Leave Laws - Notable Developments
    • More California Leave Option
    • New D.C. Regulations Effective 11/19/2010

September 2010—Expanded!

  • FMLA - Notable Developments
    • DOL announces 2011 focus
    • DOL clarifies definition of "son or daughter"
    • Court Rules: FMLA does not protect an employee no longer qualified for her position
    • An FMLA Lesson: supervisor attitudes can create employer liability
  • ADA - Cases of Note
    • Interactive accommodation process
    • Difficulty in access to the workplace
  • State Leave Laws - Notable Developments
    • Ohio enacts new military families leave
    • Connecticut revises crime victims leave law
    • New case interpretation purports to expand employee coverage under the Connecticut FMLA
    • Ohio employers may deny maternity leave based on uniform minimum service requirement - but beware of Kansas

July 2009

  • FEDERAL LAW
  • STATE LAW CHANGES

June 2009

  • STATE LAW CHANGES

May 2009

  • FEDERAL LAW
  • STATE LAW CHANGES

April 2009

  • FEDERAL LAW
  • STATE LAW CHANGES

March 2009

  • FEDERAL LAW
    • The Family Leave Insurance Act of 2009
  • STATE LAW CHANGES
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Montana
    • Nevada

February 2009

  • FEDERAL LAW
    • Family and Medical Leave
      Enhancement Act of 2009
    • The Airline Flight Crew Technical
      Corrections Act
    • The Family Fairness Act
  • STATE / CITY LAW CHANGES
    • Colorado
    • Wisconsin
    • Connecticut

January 2009

  • FEDERAL LAW
    • Family and Medical Leave Act
  • STATE / CITY LAW CHANGES
    • City of Philadelphia
  • Recent FMLA cases
    • Failure to follow employer’s call-in policy

December 2008

  • FEDERAL LAW CHANGES
    • Family and Medical Leave Act
    • Family Military Leave
  • STATE LAW CHANGES & DEVELOPMENTS
    • New Jersey
    • Wisconsin

June 2008

  • FEDERAL LAW
    • Family Leave Insurance Act
    • Amendment to the ADA
  • STATE LAW CHANGES
    • Connecticut
    • New Jersey
    • Massachusetts
    • Ohio

May 2008

  • FEDERAL LAW
    • Family Leave Insurance Act
    • A bill to fix a loophole
  • STATE LAW CHANGES
    • California
    • New Jersey
    • Vermont

April 2008

  • FEDERAL LAW
  • STATE LAW CHANGES
    • California
    • Colorado
    • District of Columbia
    • Maine
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • Washington