What types of leave does the FMLA provide?
An employee cannot take FMLA leave for just any reason. The leave must be for one or more “qualifying” reasons, i.e., the birth or placement (through adoption or foster care) of a child, a “serious health condition” that renders the employee unable to perform the job’s essential functions, and/or the serious health condition of an immediate family member. Although each reason for leave has its own regulatory definition, clearly, the most challenging for employers is determining which conditions constitute serious health conditions. Some are obvious: an overnight stay in the hospital or a long-term condition such as cancer or stroke. Others are more difficult to recognize. For example, an illness that incapacitates an employee for more than three consecutive days and causes him/her to visit a health care provider may also qualify as a serious health condition. Perhaps the most difficult conditions to track are chronic conditions. Chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or migraines
