labor lawAdivision of labor law center

The Alaska FMLA is a law that affects many workers throughout the state of Alaska, and as it will soon be Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, now is a great time to take a new look at this law.

The act is primarily there to protect a worker’s job. A worker is allowed up to 12 weeks of leave a year. This leave is unpaid and can only be taken under certain circumstances. These can include an immediate member of the worker’s family becoming ill and the worker having to take time off work to care for them. It can also include taking leave after the birth of a child, or the placing of a foster child within the worker’s home. As well as these incidents, it can also cover time taken away from the worker’s job to adopt a child.

The law is applicable to private employers with employees numbering 50 or more. Public employees and school teachers are covered automatically. This does not depend on the number of employees in the size of staff.

There is a poster available that explains this act in full and it is desirable that it should be displayed on jobsites throughout the state of Alaska.

However, workers should be aware that their job is not protected as a matter of course. Because of this, workers must be prepared to take certain steps to make sure that they understand what the position is with their employer.

One recommendation is that employers provide written notice to their employee stating the leave status and directing the worker how and when to contact the workplace to ensure that their position is secure.

Time on active military duty counts as hours worked to qualify for FMLA.

The employee, or worker, must be prepared to heed this advice and follow up the instructions that the employer has given them, make sure that they do not overstep any deadlines and generally should maintain a good relationship with their employer while they are on leave.