The medical certification is a document that an employer may require for an employee to take an FMLA leave year. Commonly, the employee will have fifteen calendar days to deliver the medical certification. A health care provider must issue the medical certification. The employee must bear the costs related to the issuance of the medical certification.
The medical certification must at least contain the following information:
- The contact information of the health care provider.
- Start date of the serious health condition.
- Probable duration of the serious health condition.
- Relevant medical information about the serious health condition, such as symptoms, hospitalization, and doctor visits.
- If the employee cannot work, or if the employee’s spouse, child, or parent require care.
- Whether the employee needs to take the FMLA leave in block or intermittently, estimating in each case the time of absence per leave.
The employer may request in writing reasonable additional information not included in the medical certification. The employee must provide the additional information within seven calendar days. If the employee does not provide the medical certification or the requested additional information, the employer may deny the request for the employee to take an FMLA leave.
[Last updated in July of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]