You Have Rights as an Employee in Chicago and Surrounding Areas Let Us Help You Protect Them CONTACT US TODAY

Different Types of Leaves for State Employees under the FMLA in Illinois

Dec. 18, 2017

If you are diagnosed with or suffering from a serious medical condition and find it difficult to perform your duties, then under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you can take medical leaves. These leaves are also granted when an employee has to take care of a child, spouse, or parent with a serious health condition. The main purpose of the FMLA is to provide people with the opportunity to balance the personal and family needs with the demands of the workplace.

There are several types of leaves for state employees under the FMLA that they can take in Illinois, which are:

Maternity Leave

Female state employees are eligible for twenty work days, i.e. four weeks of paid maternity leave if they pre-certify their pregnancy within the first five months. Moreover, those employees who apply for leaves for a spouse’s pregnancy will get fifteen work days, i.e. three weeks of paid leave. In case you are adopting a child, you are entitled to get three weeks of paid leave.

For those families that have two or more state employed members, all these leaves are limited to one leave per family, per year.

Parental and Family Leave

If you are a state employee, you can apply for child care leave for parental reasons including caring for an ill or emotionally disturbed child. You may also request for parental and family leave for child care of an adopted child who may be suffering from illness or any type of serious family dilemmas.

In case of adoption, you are eligible for ten work days, i.e. two weeks, of paid leave, which you can take after you have the physical custody of the child. Like maternity leave, these leaves are also limited to one leave per family, per year.

Organ Donation

State employees, who have been working at a state agency for at least six months, are entitled to take paid leaves for donating blood or blood platelets, organ, or bone marrow. According to the Organ Donor Leave Act, you may take 30 days of leave to serve as an organ or bone marrow donor, anytime in a 12-month period.

Family Responsibility Leave

State employees may take up to one year of leave to provide full-time care and supervision, non-professional treatment, or custody to their immediate family member. This leave is usually allotted when the employee feels the need to fulfill an obligation or duty towards their family.

State employees can use this leave for settling estate affairs of a deceased family member, providing custodial care or nursing a newborn infant, caring for a temporary bedridden or disabled member of the family, or any other specified purposes. The state is entitled to pay its share of health and dental premiums for employee and their dependents for up to six months.

Note that all these leaves can be extended to one to ninety days without deduction of ongoing service or without pay.

Contact a Professional Lawyer Today

If you find yourself eligible for any of the above mentioned types of leaves, and are facing difficulty in getting your FMLA leaves approved, then you should get professional help. Our Roselle FMLA attorney can help you build your case and get what is rightfully yours. Contact the Law Office of Michael T. Smith today to seek experienced guidance and help in this matter.