Companies often need to grant employees leaves of absence to deal with health issues. Pregnancies, physical injuries, illnesses and other failings of the body can mean that staff members aren't fit for work. In fact, the right to temporarily leave a place of employment is ensconced into law by the Family Medical Leave Act.
This legislation requires that employers offer some measure of medical leave for personnel who require it. It is important to make this available to staff members not only to comply with government regulations but because it illustrates to employees that a company is understanding of their needs. However, it is also important to avoid allowing workers to abuse this right.
Employers need to be vigilant for this practice if they hope to maintain a financially-solvent package of benefits for a workforce. Supervisors who suspect that medical leave is being stretched beyond its legal requirements should look at instances of leave requests that are circumstantial rather than medical. Staff members who take off an inordinate amount of days due to a lingering injury but who display no symptoms should be examined carefully so that workers do not begin to take advantage of the Family Medical Leave Act.
