Is your small business FMLA-ready? Here's what you need to know

Not all leave is created equal. Paid leave means employees keep receiving regular pay, while unpaid leave protects their job, but pauses their pay. Understanding the difference helps you stay compliant, and enables your company to support your team through life's moments and build a workplace where people feel valued and secure.

• FMLA provides unpaid, job-protected leave for eligible employees to use for specified purposes. Employees may use accrued PTO concurrently, but that doesn't make FMLA leave “paid.”

• FMLA provides up to 12 unpaid weeks per year (or 26 weeks for military caregiver leave) and group health benefits must continue on the same terms during leave.

• Not every employer qualifies. FMLA applies to employers with 50+ employees within 75 miles.

• Not every employee qualifies either.  Employees must have 12 months of service and 1,250 hours worked in those 12 months.

• State laws vary. Some states offer paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs that provide wage replacement during leave.

• Jury duty, voting leave, and military leave each follow different rules depending on federal law, state law, and company policy.

• A clear decision flow matters—identify the reason for leave, check federal and state requirements, apply time off rules, and document everything.