Inform supervisor and file a request with AbsenceSoft
There are two steps to requesting your family and medical leave:

1. Notify your supervisor of your absence from work.
2. Submit your leave request to AbsenceSoft.​

It is the employees responsibility to communicate timely with their supervisor on their anticipated leave.

Eligibility notice delivered electronically within 2 business days of your request
After you apply for family and medical leave, UA HR will send you the eligibility notice within 2 business days of your request. This will outline if you are eligible for family and medical leave but does not approve the leave.

Eligible
If you are eligible for family and medical leave, a medical certification is provided with your eligibility notice. The medical certification must be completed by your provider and returned to UA HR within 15 days. 

Eligible does not mean approved
Being eligible for family and medical leave is not the same as being approved for family and medical leave.

Not eligible
You may be ineligible for family and medical leave for a few reasons:

• You may have exhausted your available entitlement 
• You may have requested leave for a non-covered person (i.e. a sibling) 
• You do not meet the work requirements
  • Federal family and medical leave requires that employees must
    • Work at least 1,250 hours in the last 12 months immediately proceeding the leave (excluding holidays and time off) AND
    • Worked for UA for at least 12 months over the last 7 years
  • Alaska family and medical leave
    • Scheduled to work full time for six months prior to the request (including all holidays and time off), OR
    • Scheduled to work part time for 12 months prior to the FML request (including all holidays and part time)
  • Other state leaves may apply depending on your work location. For questions on your eligibility, please contact UA HR Leaves via email: ua-hr-leaves@alaska.edu. 

Medical Certification is due to UA HR 15 days after the eligibility notice is provided 
In all cases except natural childbirth, a doctor must certify the event. This doctor's certification is due within 15 days from the date the leave is filed with UA HR. 

Additional information required
In some cases, UA HR will request additional information if a certification is incomplete. If this is the case, the employee will receive a letter with a new due date and the information that is needed to present a complete certification.

Medical certification is not received
If no medical certification is received, the leave will be closed and you will not receive family and medical leave. 

Designation notice delivered from UA HR within 5 business days of receipt of complete medical certification
After reviewing the medical certification, UA HR will provide employees with an approval or denial notice. If approved, this notice will outline the absences expected (i.e. continuous, intermittent), how many hours remain of the entitlement, and when the return to work date is (if known).

Step 1: Record leave on time sheets
Employees are required to use their sick leave (earnings code 550) when they are out on family and medical leave. If sick leave exhausts, continue to use the sick leave code for all your family and medical leave absences. Sick leave will automatically cascade into annual leave, faculty time off, personal holiday, and then leave without pay.

Step 2: Record leave with AbsenceSoft
Employees on approved family and medical leave must report their hours in AbsenceSoft. If hours are not reported in AbsenceSoft, they will not be considered protected under the FMLA.

Salary continuation options
Salary continuation options may be available to you depending on your individual circumstance. Please review the salary continuation options drop down on the main FML webpage..

Review the "How do I return to work?" drop down on the main FML webpage.