News You Can Use: Intermittent FMLA leave is benefit managers' biggest headache

Employees abusing FMLA through intermittent leave is employers' top complaint, CCH reports, with 42% of HR/benefits pros citing this as their biggest problem. And while just one-quarter favor eliminating intermittent leave entirely, most respondents support the Labor Department's proposals to curb FMLA abuses:
- Allowing employers to require medical recertification requests of a continuing condition at least every six months of absence (88%).
- Requiring employees to give advance notice of nonemergency, foreseeable leaves and providing definitions of those terms (95%).
- Changing the definition of continued treatment for a serious health condition by requiring at least two visits to a medical provider within 30 days (73%).

Stay tuned for coverage in the November EBN on ways to reduce FMLA abuse.