How to Write an FMLA Request Letter

If you are hoping to get unpaid leave from work through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a well-written FMLA letter is the best place to start. Whether you are enlarging your family or helping a loved one through a serious illness, you need to explain why you need the time. To make a good impression, you need a solid FMLA request letter.

What Is FMLA?

The Family and Medical Leave Act was created in 1993 to ensure an individual’s time off from work without the worry of losing your job. Nearly 15 million workers throughout the U.S. take an FMLA to leave each year.

While FMLA allows up to 12 weeks of leave, more than three-quarters of each individual leave last eight weeks or fewer, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families. And while many use their FMLA for welcoming a new baby into the world, statistics show the most common reason for FMLA leave is for dealing with a serious personal health issue.

Conditions of FMLA Eligibility

No matter your reason for requesting FMLA leave, there are some criteria that need to be met to receive it. This includes:

1. You must work for a company that employs more than 50 people who live within a 75-mile radius of company headquarters
2. You must have worked for your current employer for at least one year
3. Within the past 12 months, you must have worked a minimum of 1,250 hours
4. In the case of a planned FMLA leave, you must apply at least 30 days prior to your initial planned date off

What Are Valid Reasons for Requesting FMLA?

When seeking FMLA leave, your reasoning can fall under the following categories:

Welcoming a New Baby or Child

Whether you are nearing the impending birth of your new baby or have secured adoption for a child, FMLA allows you to spend time welcoming the new member of your family. This also applies if you are providing foster care.

A Serious Health Issue Within the Family

FMLA assures you can be an active caregiver to a severely ill immediate family member, including your spouse, child, or parent. You also may take time to convalesce your own severe illness.

Caring for or Dealing with a Family Member in the Military

If a loved one has suffered an injury while providing service for our country, you can take time off to care for them. Or, if an immediate family member is being deployed and there is an immediate need for help during this time, FMLA may also approve time off to deal with such a need.

Your reason for requesting time off should be specifically stated in your FMLA request letter.

Can You Get Paid While on FMLA?

Maybe. That is up to your employer. If you have accrued sick or vacation days, your employer may let you use them during this time. However, there is no requirement by FMLA that your employer pays while on leave.

How to Apply for FMLA on Your Own

To apply for FMLA, you must request it through your employer or the human resources department by submitting your explanation through your request letter. Be thorough and concise. You must also complete the appropriate FMLA forms.

You will need proof of your reason for asking for FMLA either through a medical certification form or documentation of foster care, adoption, or a military reason.

Writing Your FMLA Request Letter

You need or want time off, but writing the letter can be daunting. Where do you start? You could pay a lawyer who works in employment law to write it for you. There are also secretarial services that specialize informal letters and documents. You can pay for one of them to help you.

Or you could save what could be a substantial expense and simply use DoNotPay at a fraction of the cost.

DoNotPay Can Write Your FMLA Leave Letter and Submit Your Request

If you haven't used DoNotPay yet, you should. It can complete many tasks for you properly and effortlessly. The app will write your FMLA request letter and file your claim with the proper forms.

Here's how:

1. Tell us which state you work in (if you work in CA, NY, NJ, MA, WA, or DC, your state has a paid family leave program).

2. Choose whether you want us to apply to the program for you or contact your employer with your leave request. If you want to apply for the program, we will walk you through the questions on the form and mail the application form for you.

3. If you want us to contact your employer, enter your leave details, including the starting date, number of weeks of leave, and how many weeks of paid leave you are requesting (for example, you may take a 12 week leave, but only request eight weeks of paid leave to make the request reasonable).

4. Indicate whether you are the birth parent or not (birth parents have a few additional protections).

5. Enter the name of your company and the person to address this request to.

6. Select whether you want us to email the request to your employer on your behalf.

Why Use DoNotPay

DoNotPay is proven to be:

• Fast - You don't have to spend hours trying to solve the issue.
• Easy - You don't have to struggle to fill out tedious forms or keep track of all the steps involved in solving your problem.
• Successful - You can rest assured knowing we'll make the best case for you.

Who Can Use DoNotPay to Submit Their FMLA Request?

Anyone in any state. You can apply for leave in:

Whether you work for a tech company with 51 employees, a regional car repair chain, Walgreens, Walmart, or the federal government, DoNotPay can file your request letter and forms.

What Else Can DoNotPay Do for You?

There are other letters and forms DoNotPay can write and take care of for you, along with many other things. DoNotPay can:

• Stop spam texts
• Get free trials
• File a complaint
• File an insurance claim
• Get a chargeback or a refund

DoNotPay was originally designed to handle tasks such as filing in small claims court or requesting a leave from jury duty, and it still does. But it has evolved into taking care of so many more routine and seldom-needed chores. Let DoNotPay help you.