Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. Eligible employees are entitled to:

• Twelve workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for:
  • the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth;
  • the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement;
  • to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition;
  • a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job;
  • any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty;” or
• Twenty-six workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the servicemember’s spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (military caregiver leave).

Employees must submit a corresponding form (links below) in order to take an approved leave. FMLA allows for unpaid, job-protected leave. While this leave is not inherently paid, the Town of Winchester requires employees to use accruals while on leave starting with sick time, then vacation time. If any of the leave is not covered by accruals, arrangements for benefits payments must be made with Ellen Howard, Benefits Coordinator.

Required Forms

1. For your own serious medical condition including the birth of a child, please use this form.
2. To care for a Family member’s serious medical condition, please use this form. 
3. To care for a covered service member’s medical condition, please use this form.

Please submit the completed form to:

• Town Employees - Beata Malicka, Human Resources Department, Winchester Town Hall
  Phone: 781-721-7157
  Fax: 781-721-7182
• School Employees - Marie Altieri, Human Resources, School Central Office, Parkhurst School
  Phone: 781-721-7003
  Fax: 781-721-0016