{"id":24914,"date":"2019-09-05T09:01:42","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T13:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/?p=24914"},"modified":"2019-09-06T11:19:04","modified_gmt":"2019-09-06T15:19:04","slug":"family-medical-leave-fmla-time-off-for-iep-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/family-medical-leave-fmla-time-off-for-iep-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) Time Off for IEP Meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_pop\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/gallery\/share-button-gray.png\" style=\"border:0px\" alt=\"Share\" \/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"StumbleUpon\",\"Digg\",\"Reddit\",\"Bebo\",\"Delicious\");var hupso_icon_type = \"labels\";var hupso_background=\"#FFFFFF\";var hupso_border=\"#FFFFFF\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_twitter_via=\"wrightslaw\";var hupso_url=\"\";var hupso_title=\"Family%20and%20Medical%20Leave%20%28FMLA%29%20Time%20Off%20for%20IEP%20Meetings\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div><p>On August 8, 2019, Department of Labor (DOL) released an opinion letter on when parents can take Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) time off for IEP meetings.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/whd\/opinion\/FMLA\/2019\/2019_08_08_2A_FMLA.pdf\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/whd\/opinion\/FMLA\/2019\/2019_08_08_2A_FMLA.pdf<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This <span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Guidance<\/span> addresses what can be considered a \u201cqualifying reason\u201d for FMLA leave to attend school meetings, like IEP meetings.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-24917\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mtg.busy_.table_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"508\" height=\"339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mtg.busy_.table_.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mtg.busy_.table_-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mtg.busy_.table_-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 508px) 100vw, 508px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This may not fit your family or work situation, but it could be another tool in your advocacy tool kit. The guidance provides:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>general legal principles of the FMLA<\/li>\n<li>questions presented to the DOL<\/li>\n<li>DOL response referencing care of children with special health care needs<\/li>\n<li>relevant precedents<\/li>\n<li>DOL&#8217;s opinion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You&#8217;ll find a link to the DOL Guidance and more information about FMLA on the Wrightslaw <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/info\/protections.index.htm\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Parental Protections<\/span><\/a> page.<\/p>\n<p><strong>FMLA Leave for IEP Meetings<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One Employment Law article by Allen Smith, J.D., provides the background on the family\u2019s complaint and a discussion of DOL\u2019s opinion.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">Parents May Take FMLA Leave for Special Education Meetings <\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shrm.org\/ResourcesAndTools\/legal-and-compliance\/employment-law\/Pages\/FMLA-leave-for-special-education-meetings.aspx\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">https:\/\/www.shrm.org\/ResourcesAndTools\/legal-and-compliance\/employment-law\/Pages\/FMLA-leave-for-special-education-meetings.aspx<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong><em>Request to Use FMLA for IEP Meetings Was Denied<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em>In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/whd\/opinion\/FMLA\/2019\/2019_08_08_2A_FMLA.pdf\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">opinion letter<\/span><\/a>, a woman received certification from her children&#8217;s doctors supporting her need to take periodic leave to care for her two children. Her employer approved intermittent FMLA leave to take the children to medical appointments but denied her request to use FMLA time off to attend IEP meetings. <\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><strong>The DOL concluded that the mother&#8217;s need to attend IEP meetings is a qualifying reason for taking intermittent FMLA leave.<\/strong> Her attendance at IEP meetings is essential to her ability to provide appropriate physical or psychological care to her children, the DOL noted. <\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em>Her attendance helps meeting participants:<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 80px;\"><em>\u2022 Make medical decisions concerning her children&#8217;s medically prescribed speech, physical and occupational therapy. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u2022 Discuss her children&#8217;s well-being and progress with the therapy providers.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u2022 Ensure her children&#8217;s school environment is suitable to their medical, social and academic needs.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In this article, you will also find a link to DOL\u2019s form (<span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"><a style=\"color: #0066cc;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/whd\/forms\/WH-380-F.pdf\">Form WH-380-F<\/a><\/span>) to document a serious health problem for a family member, i.e., child with a disability.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/whd\/forms\/WH-380-F.pdf\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\"> https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/whd\/forms\/WH-380-F.pdf<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>State Laws<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This opinion letter and DOL\u2019s interpretation <em>does not<\/em> \u201cprovide a broad right for all school appointments\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Check your state laws to find out what leave employers are required to provide for parents.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>More articles about DOL Guidance on FMLA<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">https:\/\/www.richmond.com\/business\/learning-center\/labor-law-fmla-may-allow-an-employee-to-attend-certain\/article_31ce6cd0-0e8e-532c-9a97-2dac6761aadd.html<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.educationdive.com\/news\/labor-dept-rules-iep-meetings-a-valid-reason-for-family-and-medical-leave\/560715\/\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">https:\/\/www.educationdive.com\/news\/labor-dept-rules-iep-meetings-a-valid-reason-for-family-and-medical-leave\/560715\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/suzanne-lucas\/the-department-of-labor-just-announced-new-protections-for-parents-of-special-needs-children.html\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">https:\/\/www.inc.com\/suzanne-lucas\/the-department-of-labor-just-announced-new-protections-for-parents-of-special-needs-children.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.disabilityscoop.com\/2019\/08\/16\/iep-meetings-warrant-time-off-work-labor-department-says\/27027\/\"><span style=\"color: #0066cc;\">https:\/\/www.disabilityscoop.com\/2019\/08\/16\/iep-meetings-warrant-time-off-work-labor-department-says\/27027\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On August 8, 2019, Department of Labor (DOL) released an opinion letter on when parents can take Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) time off for IEP meetings. https:\/\/www.dol.gov\/whd\/opinion\/FMLA\/2019\/2019_08_08_2A_FMLA.pdf This Guidance <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/family-medical-leave-fmla-time-off-for-iep-meetings\/\">Continue Reading \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,529],"tags":[1522,1521,132,176],"class_list":["post-24914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ieps","category-parent-rights-responsibilities","tag-family-medical-leave-act","tag-fmla","tag-iep-meetings","tag-parent-rights"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24914"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24943,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24914\/revisions\/24943"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrightslaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}