Attendance & Leave

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Family Medical Leave Act

What is FMLA?

The intent of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is to allow employees up to 12 weeks or 480 hours of job-protected leave to meet medical and family care needs while still maintaining job and economic security.

If you need to request FMLA leave or you are a supervisor looking for more information, refer to the links below or contact the appropriate Human Resources office at:

Sarasota-Manatee Campus: (941) 359-4224 | St. Petersburg Campus: (727) 873-4775

USF Health and Tampa Campus: FMLA@usf.edu or (813) 974-2970

Which USF Employees are Eligible?

At the university, Administration, Faculty, Staff, and Temporary employees are eligible as long as they meet the following requirements:

1. Have at least 12 months of employment (need not be consecutive) with USF; and
2. Have worked at least 1,250 hours for USF during the 12 months prior to the start of the FMLA leave; and
3. Have not exhausted your current FMLA entitlement.

Two employees who are married and work for the university are entitled to a total of 12 weeks of FMLA leave to care for a child following birth or placement for adoption or foster care, and bonding.

What Qualifies for FMLA?

Employee has a serious health condition
Employee needs to care for a family member (parent, spouse, or child) with a serious health condition
Employee is unable to work for reasons related to pregnancy, prenatal medical care, or childbirth
Employee is a new parent (this includes mothers, fathers, same-sex spouses) and you are taking leave to bond with your newborn, newly adopted child, or newly placed foster child
Employee needs to care for an armed services member who has become seriously injured in the line of duty; or for an emergency due to a family member’s active duty; or call to active duty in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces

How will Pay and Benefits be impacted?

FMLA does not entitle an employee to leave with pay. However, accrued and unused leave, such as annual, sick, or other compensatory leave, may be used to provide continuation of pay and benefits during an FMLA-designated leave.

For questions regarding benefits while on unpaid FMLA leave, please contact benefits@usf.edu.

FMLA leaves of absence (both intermittent and continuous leaves) are tracked on a fiscal year basis (July 1 – June 30). Employees who are covered under USF’s United Faculty of Florida (UFF) Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will have FMLA leaves of absence tracked on a fiscal year basis (July 1 – June 30).