The Essential Guide to Family & Medical Leave

chapter 1 | an overview of Family and medical leave | 9
Of course, people have different comfort levels when dealing with
emotional subjects. Some can easily offer support and a shoulder to cry on;
others would rather volunteer for a root canal. If you fall on the more stoic
end of this spectrum, take heart: You don’t need to become a therapist—or
the employee’s best friend—to show some understanding in a difficult
situation. Just remember that a little kindness goes a long way. Acknowledge
what your employees are dealing with, cut them some slack if necessary, and
work with them to make the law serve its purpose.
Why You Need to Get It Right
Properly managing your FMLA obligations is a win-win situation.
Employees win because they get time off when they really need it, with the
assurance that their jobs will be waiting for them when they come back. You
and your company win because helping employees balance work and family
leads to greater employee loyalty to the company and all of the other benefits
that flow from it, including better morale, stronger retention, and even
improved productivity.
That’s the carrot—and here’s the stick: Violating the FMLA can lead to
serious trouble. And we don’t just mean the morale problems and associated
woes that can crop up if employees feel that their needs aren’t important to
the company. Mishandling family and medical leave issues can also give rise
to lawsuits—not just against your company, but against you, individually, as
the manager who made the flawed decision. Of course, this is the ultimate
worst-case scenario, and chances are good that you’ll never have to face it.
If you’re one of the unlucky few, however, your personal assets—such as
your home, your car, and your bank accounts—could be on the line, not to
mention your career and reputation.