Updated September 2026
The Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave a year. That sentence is easy to write and hides almost everything people actually need to know: whether you qualify, whether your condition counts, what your employer is allowed to demand, whether the leave is paid, and what you’re going home to when it ends.
This is everything we’ve written on FMLA and medical leave, organised by where you are in the process.
Start Here: Do You Qualify?
Eligibility is three tests, and most people fail or pass on the second one.
- Does Part-Time Work Count Toward FMLA Eligibility? — yes, if you average about 24 hours a week. The catch is that paid time off doesn’t count toward the 1,250 hours.
- What Conditions Qualify for FMLA Leave? — the qualifying reasons, from your own illness to a family member’s
- What Qualifies as a Serious Health Condition Under FMLA? — the standard that decides most claims
- Can I Take FMLA Leave for IEP Meetings? — one of the less obvious qualifying uses
Requesting Leave
- How Long Does FMLA Approval Take? — the deadlines your employer has to meet
- Can Your Employer Deny FMLA Leave? — the legitimate reasons, and the ones that aren’t
- Can Your Employer Ask About Your Medical History? — what they can require and what they can’t
How Long You Get
- How Long Does FMLA Last? — how the 12 weeks are measured, and why the method matters
- Can You Extend FMLA Beyond 12 Weeks? — what’s available when the leave isn’t long enough
- Does a Holiday Count Toward FMLA Leave? — how holidays are counted against your entitlement
Pay, PTO and Insurance While You’re Out
FMLA is unpaid. What fills the gap depends on your employer’s policy and your state.
- Can You Use PTO and FMLA at the Same Time? — when your employer can require it
- Do You Accrue PTO While on FMLA? — usually not, and why
- What Happens to Your Health Insurance During FMLA Leave? — your employer has to maintain it, on conditions
- Paid Family Leave vs. FMLA — the state programmes that actually pay
Your Job While You’re on Leave
- Does FMLA Protect Your Job? — what reinstatement guarantees, and what it doesn’t
- Can You Be Fired While on FMLA? — the answer is not a simple no
- Can You Work Another Job While on FMLA? — where employers most often find grounds to act
Coming Back
- What Happens If You Don’t Return to Work After FMLA? — including when your employer can reclaim insurance premiums
Short-Term Disability
Separate from FMLA, and frequently confused with it.
- Short-Term Disability vs. FMLA: What’s the Difference? — one replaces income, the other protects your job
- What Qualifies as Short-Term Disability? — and how approval actually works
Sick Leave
- Paid Sick Leave Laws by State — which states require it, plus the three that let you use leave for any reason
- Can You Be Fired for Calling in Sick? — when an absence is protected and when it isn’t
Pregnancy, Parental and Family Leave
- Can You Be Fired for Being Pregnant? — pregnancy discrimination and the accommodations you can request
- Maternity Leave for Fathers — what fathers and partners are entitled to
- Bereavement Leave — what’s required, which is less than most people expect
Medical Conditions and Your Job
- Can You Be Fired for a Medical Condition? — where the ADA picks up when FMLA runs out
If your situation is about workplace adjustments rather than time off, our ADA and Disability Rights section covers accommodations, the interactive process, and what counts as a disability.
Disclaimer
This page and the articles it links to are general information, not legal advice. Employment law varies by state and by situation, and the rules described may have changed since last updated. For guidance on your circumstances, consult a licensed employment attorney in your state. See our full Disclaimer and Terms and Conditions.