The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees with 12 work weeks of qualifying leave within a 12-month period. Effective Aug. 1, 2021, Marquette’s method for calculating the 12-month period will change to a “rolling” 12-month period measured backward from the date an employee first uses any FMLA leave. This announcement fulfills the requirement to provide 60-days’ notice of the change to all employees.
Marquette University has partnered with Leave Solutions, a company specializing in FMLA/leave administration. This partnership has enabled us to re-examine and re-align our policies to industry best standards and provide a more efficient service delivery. The rolling 12-month measurement period will better support the continuity of business operations.
Current federal calculation method
The current method of calculating an eligible employee’s 12 week entitlement under federal FMLA is the calendar year method. With this method, all employees are entitled to 12 weeks of protected leave each year between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31.
New federal calculation method
Effective Aug. 1, 2021, Marquette’s method for calculating the 12-month period will change to a “rolling” 12-month period measured backward from the date an employee first uses any FMLA leave. With this method, the process would be to “count or look backwards” for 12 months from any given “request date” and total the amount of FMLA used (if any), subtract from the 12-week maximum. That balance is the amount of FMLA leave currently available for use.
Wisconsin FMLA Calculation Method
Per Wisconsin law, leave entitlements under Wisconsin’s Family and Medical Leave will be calculated on a calendar year beginning on Jan. 1 and ending on Dec. 31 of each year. There is no change to this calculation method.
During the transition period, employees currently using their federal FMLA entitlement will not be impacted as a result of the change in calculation method.
With questions, contact our Leave Solutions consultant Chesney Rose at (262) 345-2094.