The Essential Guide to Family & Medical Leave

102 | the essential guide to family and medical leave
The “Rolling” Leave Year
A “rolling” year is just what it sounds like—an employee’s leave eligibility
rolls out throughout the year, as leave is taken. If your company calculates
the leave year using this method, an eligible employee is entitled to up to 12
weeks of FMLA leave in the year measured backward from the first day that
FMLA leave is taken. Each time the employee takes leave, any part of the 12-
week entitlement that was not used in the immediately preceding 12 months
is available for future leave.
This is less complicated as it sounds. Below is a sample worksheet to keep
track of hours used under the “rolling” year method; there is a blank copy in
Appendix C and on the CD-ROM at the back of this book
Sample
Chart for Calculating Leave Under “Rolling” Leave Year Method
Date Leave
Commenced
FMLA Leave Tracking for Jane Edwards
Amount of
Leave Taken
Date Eligible for
Additional Leave
2/12/05 4 wks. Currently eligible 8 wks.
4/22/05 4 wks. Currently eligible 4 wks.
9/07/05 4 wks. 2/12/06 4 wks.
3/20/06 4 wks. 4/22/06 4 wks.
7/17/06 2 wks. 9/07/06 6 wks.
Amount of
Leave Available
The main advantage of this method is that it does not allow employees to
take FMLA leave totaling more than 12 weeks in any 12-month period.
EXAMPLE: Mario takes one week of FMLA leave beginning February 12, 2007; four
weeks of FMLA leave beginning March 2, 2007; three weeks of FMLA leave beginning
May 7, 2007; and four weeks of FMLA leave beginning July 10, 2007. Under the “rolling”
12-month period, Mario’s next leave year will begin February 12, 2008. At that
time, Mario will be entitled to one week of leave; four more weeks beginning March
2, 2008; three more weeks beginning May 7, 2008; and four more weeks beginning
July 10, 2008.