Kulkarni Law Firm -Clinical Research’s Post

Is your company required to provide Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) to employees? On November 8, 2024 the Department of Labor said in an opinion letter that FMLA may cover time off for employees to participate in clinical trials. #fmla #fmlacompliance #compliance #hrcompliance #leavelaws #familymedicalleaveact #hr #hrconsulting

Breaking Update on Trial Equity: **U.S. Department of Labor has confirmed that patients are eligible to use the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) while participating in a clinical trial, based upon a Request for Opinion received by the Foundation For Sarcoidosis Research (FSR)** Background: FSR's Ignore No More campaign gained deep insights among African American patients through surveys and focus groups to understand barriers to research participation. These insights revealed concerns related to time off from work and risk of impacts to pay, work assignment, and other benefits. There had been ambiguity among the research community (including site staff) as to whether FMLA would cover job-protected leave of absence to address time off to care for an individual’s or a family member’s serious health condition while in a trial. Outcome: A link to the full DOJ response is in the release link below, but calls out that: -> Employees who meet all other requirements of FMLA may access FMLA benefits for participation in clinical trials or the clinical trials of those for whom they serve in a caregiver role.  -> The term “treatment” includes clinical trials and treatments that may or may not be effective regardless of whether it is new, experimental, or a placebo.  -> As long as this is part of the support and management of a serious illness and is not an elective procedure such as plastic surgery, it does not matter that the patient’s participation is “voluntary”.  -> Employers may still require appropriate documentation before issuing access to the leave as laid out in the FMLA, but will not require that they indicate if they are on therapy or placebo, as this will not likely be revealed until after the time at which the requested leave time would expire.   -> Employers may only verify that an employee has serious health conditions requiring treatment by a provider when responding to the leave request.  Kudos and gratitude to mary, Tricha, and the dedicated team at the Foundation For Sarcoidosis Research -- great demonstration of starting with patient insights, identifying a root cause, and creating clarity that can help address equity in research. https://lnkd.in/eei-j5j6

Navigating FMLA for Clinical Trials: What Employers Need to Know The U.S. Department of Labor recently issued an important opinion on how the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) applies to employees participating in clinical trials. This guidance provides new clarity for employers managing leave policies while supporting employee health needs. At FINEOS, we stay ahead of these developments to help organizations manage absence and leave effectively. Discover the key takeaways from the DOL’s opinion and what it means for your business in our latest blog from Patricia Lauren Zuniga. 📖 Read the full post: https://okt.to/y7QFMJ Have questions about managing FMLA or leave policies? Let’s start a conversation in the comments. #FMLA #EmployeeWellbeing #HRCompliance

1) Pandemic made many employer's populations borderless. 2) The proliferation of federal & state-specific leave entitlement programs is debilitating to HR teams. Employers that have historically managed FMLA, Paid Family Medical Leaves, and other mandated leaves in-house are now needing support. There are lots of solutions available to middle market and enterprise employers. The decision to insource or outsource, to pair with disability or have a stand-alone administrator, to purchase state specific leaves through the state, a private vendor, or to self fund can be overwhelming. Now more than ever, employers need an advisor team that offers more than great healthcare consulting. #AbsenceManagementConsulting The Baldwin Group

Navigating FMLA for Clinical Trials: What Employers Need to Know The U.S. Department of Labor recently issued an important opinion on how the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) applies to employees participating in clinical trials. This guidance provides new clarity for employers managing leave policies while supporting employee health needs. At FINEOS, we stay ahead of these developments to help organizations manage absence and leave effectively. Discover the key takeaways from the DOL’s opinion and what it means for your business in our latest blog from Patricia Lauren Zuniga. 📖 Read the full post: https://okt.to/WELoA7 Have questions about managing FMLA or leave policies? Let’s start a conversation in the comments. #FMLA #EmployeeWellbeing #HRCompliance

As a Patient Navigator, my role involves supporting patients with transportation, coordinating appointments, navigating care across various offices, and managing important forms such as FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act), Aflac, and out-of-work letters. Lately, I’ve noticed a growing number of patients who are unclear about their FMLA rights, specifically that in Connecticut, FMLA offers 12 weeks of job protection intermittently or continuous. Many patients have missed appointments because they weren’t approved for time off from work or didn’t realize that we offer evening hours. As patient base continues to grow, it’s crucial that an improvement area is patient education about the healthcare services and workplace protections available to them. For example, instead of using the emergency room for prescription refills, patients can often work directly with their pharmacy for short-term supply options while waiting for their provider’s office to respond. I am excited that we continue to work as a team in the PCC to engage, educate, and support our patients. They are always our first priority, and we strive to provide the best care and communication. Improving communication and patient understanding of these resources will not only help patients make better decisions but also reduce unnecessary ER visits, ensuring timely access to care. I’m excited to continue working on ways to better support patients in navigating both healthcare and workplace benefits. Anyone in CT have questions regarding FMLA, Aflac, or letters for patients? Let’s connect and work together to ensure everyone has the support they need! How does your office connect with patients on changes in policies, navigation, or support on any of the above? Leave a comment. #FMLA #patientnavigation #forms #teamwork #CT #patientcare #questions #help

#FMLA #JobSecurity #CareerAdvice Hey there! Let’s talk about a tough situation you might find yourself in: being on Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave while feeling the pressure of job responsibilities slipping through your fingers. It sounds rough, especially when you’re stepping into the unknown, and I totally get why you’d be worried. 🤔 So here’s a quick rundown of your situation: Your colleague left unexpectedly, leaving you to juggle extra responsibilities with hardly any training. Because of that, you might have missed some important tasks, and now you’re anxious about how that’s being perceived. On top of that, you’re about to go on FMLA soon, which means someone else will pick up your workload, potentially uncovering even more things that might have slipped through the cracks. All these factors can create a feeling of being set up to fail. You’re right to think about your job security. So, the real question is: Can you get fired while on FMLA? Here are some key po... Could I Face Termination While on FMLA Leave in Massachusetts? Answers: https://lnkd.in/gqEPR68d

#FMLA #JobSecurity #CareerAdvice Hey there! Let’s talk about a tough situation you might find yourself in: being on Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave while feeling the pressure of job responsibilities slipping through your fingers. It sounds rough, especially when you’re stepping into the unknown, and I totally get why you’d be worried. 🤔 So here’s a quick rundown of your situation: Your colleague left unexpectedly, leaving you to juggle extra responsibilities with hardly any training. Because of that, you might have missed some important tasks, and now you’re anxious about how that’s being perceived. On top of that, you’re about to go on FMLA soon, which means someone else will pick up your workload, potentially uncovering even more things that might have slipped through the cracks. All these factors can create a feeling of being set up to fail. You’re right to think about your job security. So, the real question is: Can you get fired while on FMLA? Here are some key po... Could I Face Termination While on FMLA Leave in Massachusetts? Answers: https://lnkd.in/g2_JZZuh

#FMLA #JobSecurity #CareerAdvice Hey there! Let’s talk about a tough situation you might find yourself in: being on Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave while feeling the pressure of job responsibilities slipping through your fingers. It sounds rough, especially when you’re stepping into the unknown, and I totally get why you’d be worried. 🤔 So here’s a quick rundown of your situation: Your colleague left unexpectedly, leaving you to juggle extra responsibilities with hardly any training. Because of that, you might have missed some important tasks, and now you’re anxious about how that’s being perceived. On top of that, you’re about to go on FMLA soon, which means someone else will pick up your workload, potentially uncovering even more things that might have slipped through the cracks. All these factors can create a feeling of being set up to fail. You’re right to think about your job security. So, the real question is: Can you get fired while on FMLA? Here are some key po... Could I Face Termination While on FMLA Leave in Massachusetts? Answers: https://lnkd.in/gGm9Bqic

#FMLA #HR #WorkplaceRights #EmployeeLeave Hey everyone! 🙌 I just came across an interesting newsletter that dives into a recent court case about FMLA interference and thought I’d share my thoughts—and I’d love to hear yours, too! So, here’s the gist: A federal appellate court ruled that a manager's actions can lead to an employer violating the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), even if the employee’s formal request for leave was not denied. 🤯 What Happened? A manager at a pharmaceutical company was not very supportive when an employee took time off for her sick daughter and later for her own surgery. After returning to work, the manager made it tough for her to continue working remotely, which discouraged her from taking necessary time off. Even when she applied for intermittent FMLA leave to care for her daughter, the atmosphere created by her manager led her to resign and ultimately file a lawsuit for FMLA interference. Why Do These Issues Occur? 🤔 These pain points arise for a... Is Your Manager Unknowingly Interfering with Your FMLA Rights? Answers: https://lnkd.in/gaQAVK8x