Military Caregiver Leave

Military Caregiver Leave, under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), allows eligible employees to take leave to care for a veteran or covered service member who has sustained a serious injury or illness in the line of active duty. The employee must be the service member’s spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, or next of kin (nearest blood relative). The veteran or covered service member must be a current member of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves, and must be:

• Undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy;
• Is in outpatient status; or
• On the temporary disability retired list for a serious injury or illness.

Eligibility

Staff and Faculty employees who have been employed by Macalester College for at least 12 months and have worked a minimum of 1,250 hours during the 12 months immediately preceding the start date of the requested leave can be eligible for Military Caregiver Leave.

Leave Details

Pay

Staff employees are able to use available vacation time, sick time, and floating holiday while on their approved Family Care Leave. When a Macalester designated holiday falls during an employee’s FMLA leave of absence, the employee will receive the holiday pay but that day(s) will count towards the employee’s FMLA allotment of hours. If an employee is on a intermittent leave of absence, the employee must work the day prior and after the holiday to not have the holiday’s counts towards the FMLA and leave allotment. 

Faculty employees will receive full pay continuation for up to 26 workweeks.

Duration

Staff and Faculty employees can receive up to 26 workweeks of leave in a 12-month period, per service member, per injury. It is important to note that an eligible employee is limited to a combined total of 26 workweeks of leave for any FMLA-qualifying reasons during the single 12-month period. Any FMLA utilization during that 12-month period will count towards the 26 workweek limit.

Benefits

If an employee is approved for Military Caregiver Leave they will continue to have benefit coverage in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act. Insurance premiums, which are collected through payroll deductions will continue when the employee is receiving pay. If the employee is on an approved Military Caregiver Leave and is not receiving pay, they will owe Macalester for benefits employee contributions which will be coordinated at the time the approved leave of absence has ended.

Job Protection

Employees job are held for up to 26 weeks in any 12-month period. In the case of intermittent leave or leave taken through a reduced work schedule, the job may be held for the time equivalent to 26 weeks of their regular work schedule