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Taking Family Leave in parts
You can take Family Leave a day or week at a time. If you take Family Leave in parts, you can take eight weeks (56 individual days) spread out over the course of a year.
Remember: For bonding leave, you must take your days before your child’s first birthday or within one year of adoption/foster placement.
How Family Leave days are counted
Family leave days are counted on a seven-day work week schedule, including weekends. If you take a period of leave for your typical work week, that counts as 7 days.
Example: You work 5 days a week (Monday - Friday)
If you claim leave on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of a Mon-Fri work week, 3 calendar days will be taken from your bank of 56 days max for the year.
If you claim leave from Monday through Friday (missing a full week of work), the weekend is included. 7 calendar days will be taken from your bank of 56 days max for the year.
Example: You work 3 days a week
If you typically work 3 days per week and take all those days off in one week, that counts as 7 calendar days. If you are taking intermittent leave, you will have 49 days of leave left in the year (56 maximum days – 7 calendar days = 49 days left).
If you claim leave for your typical work schedule of 3 days per week for 6 calendar weeks and then stop, you will have used 42 days of leave. You will have 14 days of leave left in your bank that year.
This is because you are on leave for 6 full work weeks (6 weeks x 7 calendar days = 42 days).
Calculating your benefit amount
If you take less than a full week off, you get paid 1/7 of your weekly rate for each day of leave you take.
For example, if you qualify for $980 per week, you will receive $140 for each day of Family Leave you take.
If you take a full week off ("full week" is based on the number of DAYS you typically work, NOT number of hours) you get paid your weekly benefit rate. You will use 7 days from your bank.
How to file
- Take your first period(s) of leave.
- Apply for those days of leave after you take them. You can't apply for days of leave before you take them.
- We will review the days of leave you put on your initial application. If your leave is approved, we will issue benefits.
- Continue submitting: We will mail you an intermittent leave form (FL3). List additional days you took family leave on that form. Mail or fax your updated schedule after you take those days of family leave.
Filing tips
- Make sure the leave schedule you submit matches your actual days of leave.
- If you are taking multiple days of leave in a row, submit your leave after you take those days.
