University of Minnesota  FAQ

Paid Medical Leave and Disability Benefits for Faculty and Academic Professional and Administrative Employees

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Questions?

Please use the contact section in the governing policy.

  1. How does Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) policy relate to this medical leave policy? 

    If the employee is eligible for FMLA leave, it must be used concurrently with paid medical leave in accordance with the provisions and terms of each policy. FMLA paperwork should be completed following three days of medical leave usage. Consult with the local campus, college or unit HR administrator for further information and assistance.

  2. If an eligible employee provides FMLA medical documentation after three days of medical leave absence, must the individual also notify the University's disability vendor if the medical leave extends beyond two weeks? 

    Yes. The employee must call the disability vendor and provide the documentation they request in order to certify the leave. FMLA medical documentation and that required by the disability vendor are separate and different; however, both are required by University policy.

  3. If I qualify for provisions under FMLA, do I automatically qualify for paid medical leave?

    No. FMLA and paid medical leave are two separate and independent benefits. Eligibility and benefit provisions must be met independently of one another. 

  4. If an employee has, for example, scheduled surgery at a particular time, can the individual contact the disability vendor to certify the leave in advance of the scheduled date? 

    Yes, the employee is able to call the disability vendor to provide them with the appropriate documentation to obtain medical certification in advance of the procedure.

  5. Can someone other than the employee call the disability vendor to register a claim? 

    Yes, a family member or other person with knowledge of the employee's medical condition and doctors' contact information can call the disability vendor on behalf of the employee.

  6. Must an absence of even one-half day be reported? 

    Yes, medical leave usage of one-half day or more must be reported to the employee's department following departmental or college/administrative unit procedures, as appropriate.

  7. Is paid medical leave available to eligible employees outside the term of a less than 12-month appointment when pay is not scheduled? 

    Employees who are not paid on a 12-month pay schedule may not be paid for a full three month medical leave, depending upon the timing of the leave. For example, an otherwise eligible employee holding a 10-month July through April appointment becomes ill on April 1st and remains ill for a period of two months. This employee receives paid medical leave for the month of April, but not for the month of May, as this person was not scheduled to be paid during that month.

  8. When an employee is absent from work intermittently due to a medical condition covered by this policy, when does disability leave begin? 

    The Academic Disability Plan provides for a long-term disability benefit beginning with the fourth month of certified disability if the employee is earning less than 80 percent of their salary. In the case of an intermittent leave, disability leave begins after three months of intermittent medical leave that exceeds 20 percent time and is expected to continue at that level or greater.

  9. An employee's adult child is 30 years old and has been in an accident. The adult child needs daily care during recovery from an injury. Can the employee use paid medical leave as provided under this policy to provide care for the adult child during the daytime until other arrangements can be made? 

    Yes, if the employee is eligible to use Medical Leave to care for an immediate family member. The 30 year old adult child falls under the immediate family member definition and up to 10 total days during a fiscal year can be used to care for or arrange care for a seriously ill family member.

  10. How is the onset date of disability determined and how does that impact the time periods in which the benefits are paid?

    The onset date of disability is determined by medical documentation, not by the type of appointment.  For example, if an employee has an onset of disability that occurs when the employee is not scheduled to work, such as during the summer for a 9-month faculty member, the medical leave would begin but the employee would not be paid for that portion of the leave that was not scheduled to be paid.  Another example is an onset that falls on a weekend.  If an employee is in a car accident on a Saturday, the onset date would be Saturday, even though this person was not scheduled to work that day.