Employee Manual 2023 - Flipbook - Page 46
must follow the standard call in procedure each day. Only during a block of already approved leave
time is the employee excused from following the standard call in procedure. Also, any employee
who is approved for intermittent or reduced leave under this or any other leave of absence policy
must follow the standard call in procedure each day they are absent and indicate that the absence
is for FMLA so that the City will know the employee will be absent or late for work and the reason
for the failure to report as scheduled.
Failure to follow the standard call in procedure in the manner described above may result in the
absence being viewed as no call/no show or another violation of the call-in or attendance/tardiness
rules subjecting the employee to disciplinary action under the attendance/work rules up to an
including termination of employment.
Use of Paid Leave Time: When time-off work qualifies as FMLA leave, the employee is required to
use their accrued paid time off (sick, vacation, personal days) during the elimination period before
receiving STD benefits or worker's disability benefits or, if not eligible for such disability payments,
throughout their FMLA leave until accrued paid time off is exhausted. Also, an employee may
supplement their disability benefits with paid time off in order to receive their full pay. Once paid
time off is exhausted, any remaining FMLA leave will then be taken on an unpaid basis, unless the
employee receives short term disability benefits or worker’s disability compensation benefits.
An employee will only continue to accrue paid time off while on FMLA leave while they are utilizing
paid time off. An employee will not accrue paid time off while on FMLA leave and not utilizing
current available paid time off.
Medical Certification: An employee who requests leave to care for the employee’s seriously ill
spouse, child or parent, or due to the employee’s own serious health condition that makes the
employee unable to work or perform any of the essential functions of his or her position, must
furnish the City with an appropriate medical certificate completed by the employee and the health
care provider. Forms may be obtained from human resources. Under most circumstances, the
certificate must be provided to the City not later than the 15th calendar day from the date that the
City requests medical certification. Where an emergency or unusual condition exists, the
certificate must be provided within a reasonable time. Failure to timely provide a completed
certification will result in the delay of processing the FMLA leave request until the certification is
submitted. The City will advise the employee of their eligibility normally within 5 business days of
receipt of the certification.
If the City has reason to doubt the validity of the medical certificate provided by the employee, it
may request a second opinion at its own expense. If the opinion of the employee’s and the City’s
designated health care providers differ, the City, at its expense, may require the employee to
obtain certification from a third health care provider who is approved by both it and the employee.
The opinion of the third health care provider will be final and binding. If the employee or family
member fails to act in good faith in approving the third health care provider or refuses to release
medical records, or be examined or to cooperate in the examination, the employee will be bound
by the second certification.
City of Plymouth Employee manual - Page 46 – March 2023
