Important Info About the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Important Info About the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)Important Info About the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)TheFamily and Medical Leave Act(FMLA) is a federal law that can be of assistance if youneed to take time off from work because of family responsibilities. Enacted in 1993, FMLA requires certain companies to provide employees unpaid leave for issues related to family (such as caring for a newborn or adopted child) or health issues (your own or a family members). However, elend all employers need to adhere to FMLA, and not all employees are eligible. Your company might even provideadditional benefits, like paidmaternity leave, or you may be eligiblefor disability insurance. Some organizations will offer more liberal leave policies in order to attract and retain talent especially in industries where there is a shortage of qualified workers and during tight labor markets. Therefore, the first step in learning about eligibility for coverage is to ask your employer what F MLA benefits are provided to employees. If your manager isnt aware of FMLA guidelines, check with the human resources department directly. What FMLA Covers Employers with more than 50 workers must provide eligible employees up to 12 workweeksof unpaid FMLAleave during any 12-month period. These 12 work weeks do not need to be consecutive. In addition, the employer must give the employee his or her job back after the leave or offer them another position with equivalent pay and benefits. During this period, the employee still has the health insurance benefits provided by the company. Whos Eligible for FMLA An FMLA-eligible employee is an employee who has worked for their employer at least 12 months, has worked at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months, and works at a location where the company employs 50 or more workers within 75 miles. Under FMLA, covered employers must grant unpaid leave during any 12-month period for one or more of the following reasons For the birth and care of a newborn child of the employeeFor care for an adopted child or child in foster careTo care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health conditionTo take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health conditionTo deal with emergencies related to a family members active military duty FMLA applies to both mothers and fathers, including same-sex spouses. Military FMLA The National Defense Authorization Actextends coverageto employees with spouses, children, or parents who now are serving on, or have been called up for, active duty in the military. These emergencies might include the following Childcare for the child of a deployed military memberAttending certain military briefings or ceremoniesMaking financial or legal arrangements related to the military members absence If the military member becomes seriously ill or injured while on active duty, coverage may be extended up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave each year. State Family Leave Legislation California has implemented a Paid Family Leave (PFL) insurance program, which when taken in conjunction with FMLA and California Family Rights Act (CFRA) leave, provides up to six weeks paid leave. New York also has a paid medical leave program that provides 10 weeks of paid leave at 55% of the statewide average weekly wage (AWW) in 2019. Additional coverage up to 12 weeks and 67% of the AWW will be phased in by 2021. New Jersey, Rhode Island, DC (2020) and the state of Washington (2020) also have or will implement paid leave programs. Other states also have or will soon have programs that provide expanded coverage including acceptable reasons for leave, length of leaves and compensation, so investigate the benefits available in your location. How to Tell Your Manager Before talking to your supervisor and human resources department about wanting to take FMLA leave, see if your employers qualify for FMLA leave. Check with your companys hum an resources office. Also, find out if your company provides other benefits related to your situation, such as maternity or paternity leave or disability insurance. When you need to take FMLA leave, speak with your employer as soon as possible. You are required to provide 30-days advance notice in writing when the need is foreseeable. For example, if you know you are adopting a child and will need to take leave, it is typical that you will know at least that far in advance. However, if you are unable to tell your manager ahead of time, provide as much notice as possible. If possible, reassure your employer that you are very motivated to return from your leave to resume your duties. Mention your willingness to train staff and any ideas you have to ease the transition. Where to Find More Information For more information, or if you have questions on the FMLA, review the U.S. Department of Labors Family and Medical Leave Act overview, information for employers and employees, guideli nes, and forms. The information contained in this article is not legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own states laws or the most recent changes to the law.

Understanding a CAM (Common Area Maintenance) Fee

Understanding a CAM (Common Area Maintenance) FeeUnderstanding a CAM (Common Area Maintenance) FeeIts important to understand exactly what youre paying for when you sign any commercial lease. Common area maintenance fees(CAM fees) are fairly common in commercial leases, but their terms can vary considerably. Be sure to ask questions about whats included in all fees that are padded into rent under the terms of your lease, and find out how those fees might increase each year. Some leases might cap rent increases to a reasonable percentage, but CAM fees might go up at a different percentage rate. Knowing what youllbe responsible for paying during each year of your lease will help you make better long-term decisions about whether a particular space will still be affordable in subsequent years, even if it seems like a good fit now. What Is CAM? Manycommercial real estateleases require that the tenant or lessee pay a portion of CAM fees. There are two basic calculations for CAM fees v ariable CAM fees,in which the amount a tenant is required to contribute increases based on a number of factors, and flat CAM fees,where the fees are a fixed amount. The term is typically used in conjunction with the leasing of retail and industrial spaces. You might also hear CAM fees referred to as a load factor when theyre combined with other fees. What Do CAM Fees Cover? CAM feesvary considerably and cover a wide range of expenses that landlords mustpay to keep the premises up and running. They might include repairs, insurance, property maintenance, and sometimes even the salaries of administrative staff when those employees contribute to running a business park. These salaries might be tagged as administrative fees. How Are CAM Fees Calculated? CAM expenses are typically calculated on a pro-rata basis. In simplest terms, the moreleasedsquare footage a tenant has, the greater the percentage of CAM expenses hell pay. Fees correspond with how much of the buildings total sq uare footage youre leasing, whether it be 10 percent or 50 percent. If you occupy 50 percent of the premises, the landlords expenses run $4,000 a month, and your CAM fees are variable, you can expect to pay $2,000 a month or half the overall expenses. It can be a very significant add-on. Is This Legal? The concept of CAM fees is typically legal, but remember that terms can differ a great deal from one lease to the next. The practice isnt widely accepted and embraced by industry professionals for this reason.You need to understand exactly what costs youll be contributing to, and youll want to ask for an itemization of those costs in writing. Make sure they stay within the lines of legality and consult an attorney whos well versed in commercial real estate law if you have any doubts. No blanket CAM definition specifies which costs can be included and which cannot. The frequency of payments can be an issue as well. CAM fees can be complicated and expensive, so its always advisabl e to have an attorney review any lease that includes CAM requirements or anyother special fee, even if youre pretty sure you understand the terms.

Apollo 11 Engineers Share Your Stories

Apollo 11 Engineers Share Your Stories Apollo 11 Engineers Share Your Stories Apollo 11 Engineers, Share Your StoriesTo celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Mechanical Engineering magazine is reaching out to ASME members and others who had worked on the historic mission or were involved with its success in some way. Wed like to hear about and share your memories of the project for a special feature package in the magazines July issue.Were sure those who were there still have fond memories of their involvement in sending the first astronauts to the moon. Some things wed like to ask areWhere were you during the landing, and what do you remember most about being there?How did you get involved in the moon landing and what welches your role?Could you describe the experience of working at NASA or for one of its contractors at the time?What do you think about now when you look back on the mission? How did the Apollo project change you and influence your career?Pleas e let us know if you have any pictures you can share with us.To share your thoughts and memories of the Apollo 11 moon landing, please send your response, along with a phone number, to memagasme.org by April 15, 2019. We look forward to hearing from you.