20 Nov FMLA Disaster

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, an attorney from Franczek Radelet P.C. reminds employers that disasters can stir up compliance issues from the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In an article for the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), Jeff Nowak notes that the law does not require employers to give employees time off to deal with the aftermath of a natural disaster. However, the law does apply if the disaster causes an employee to suffer “a physical or mental illness or injury that meets the definition of a ‘serious health condition’ and renders them unable to perform their job,” or if the employee is required to take care of a family member that’s been affected by the disaster.