Leave of Absence

• This is an unpaid leave of absence, but paid leave, if eligible, is provided by one or more of Piedmont’s paid leave benefits.
• Under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), employees who are eligible (one [1] year of service with at least 1,250 hours worked) can take up to 12 work weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a rolling 12-month period for:
  • The employee’s own serious health condition; or
  • Caring for a spouse or child (under age 18 or, if older, incapable of self-care because of a disability), or a parent with a serious health condition; or
  • Birth of a child and/or care of a newborn child of the employee or the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care. Either parent may take leave for bonding purposes. Bonding FMLA leave must be taken within the 12-month period following the birth or placement of the child and may not be taken on a intermittent or reduced schedule; or
  • Qualifying exigency due to a family member’s military deployment; or
  • Caring for a family member injured or ill from active military duty.
• FMLA may be requested after more than three (3) consecutive calendar days of incapacity and can be requested on an intermittent basis.
• If you’re seeking FMLA, you’re required to provide a 30-day advance notice.
• If a 30-day notice is not practicable, notify within three (3) business days of the first disability date.
• Employees who reside outside of Georgia must notify Piedmont at the time of initiating their leave request in AbsenceTracker so that applicable state-specific leave laws can be reviewed and applied appropriately.

• This is an unpaid leave of absence, but paid leave, if eligible, is provided by one or more of Piedmont’s paid leave benefits.
• MDL is provided to employees who need leave for childbirth and are not eligible for FMLA or have exhausted their FMLA bucket.
• MDL duration depends on the type of delivery (six [6] weeks for vaginal delivery and eight [8] weeks for C-section).
• Requests for MDL beyond the standard six (6) to eight (8) weeks will not be approved unless a provider submits documentation supporting the need for additional leave due to a pregnancy or childbirth-related medical condition.
• MDL does not cover baby bonding.
• See the New Parent Resource Guide for additional information about MDL and related benefits.

• This is an unpaid leave of absence, but paid leave, if eligible, is provided by one or more of Piedmont’s paid leave benefits.
• To be eligible for leave as a reasonable accommodation, you must have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, have a history or record of an impairment or be perceived by others as having such an impairment.
• If FMLA is denied, but the need for leave is due to your health condition, you may still qualify for leave under the ADA as a reasonable accommodation.

• To serve as an organ donor, Piedmont provides up to 30 days of paid leave for full- and part-time employees to use in conjunction with accrued extended illness bank (EIB).
• To serve as a bone marrow donor, Piedmont provides up to seven (7) days of paid leave for full- and part-time employees to use in conjunction with accrued EIB.
• If you’re eligible for leave under FMLA, absences related to medical recovery due to organ donations will be counted against the 12-week entitlement. If you’re ineligible for FMLA, additional leave may be approved provided you submit documentation to support that the absences are medically required.

• Full- and part-time team employees may take up to three (3) days of paid, excused leave immediately following the death of an immediate family member.
• The same benefit applies for employees who experience the loss of a pregnancy.

• To qualify for protections under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), you must provide Piedmont with advance notice of any period of military service that will result in an absence from work.
• USERRA requires notice be given “as far in advance as is reasonable under the circumstances,” and The Department of Defense recommends at least 30 days’ notice, unless military necessity or other factors make that impossible or unreasonable.

• PTO may be used during an approved leave if Short-Term Disability (STD) and Extended Illness Bank (EIB) don’t apply or for the elimination period required under disability pay.
• You must communicate directly with your leader/timekeeper regarding PTO.

• You can use previously accrued EIB hours for medically certified disabilities under Piedmont’s Short-Term Disability (STD) plan.
• You must request and be approved for continuous leave for your own health condition, pregnancy or childbirth.
• Approved medical leave is paid at 100% until EIB hours are exhausted.
• Upon approval of leave, your Leave and Accommodation Specialist will ensure your time away is managed appropriately.

• If your leave is for a serious health condition, pregnancy or childbirth—and your request meets the appropriate qualifying criteria—your Leave and Accommodation Specialist will approve STD after any required elimination period.
  • STD pay is not available for leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition or for baby bonding after the birth or adoption of a child.
• Upon approval of leave, your Leave and Accommodation Specialist will ensure your time away is managed appropriately.
• For more details, see the STD section.

• To be eligible for the Maternity Top-Up benefit, you must work for Piedmont for at least 1,250 hours and have one (1) year of service immediately before the date of delivery and return to the same/full-time equivalent.
• After completing the STD elimination period, you will be paid a total of 100% base pay for four (4) weeks if a vaginal delivery and six (6) weeks if a C-section. You will be paid 60% of base pay while on leave; you will received the remaining 40% of base pay as a lump-sum once you return from leave and your application for the remaining portion of your base pay is approved.
• If you have accrued extended illness bank (EIB) hours, you’ll not be eligible for this benefit; your accrued EIB hours will be used in lieu of any STD benefit.
• To receive this benefit, you must:
  • Remain in your position, full-time equivalent or one in which you work more hours for a minimum of six (6) months after returning to work.
  • Complete and submit the Maternity Top-Up Benefit Application upon returning from an approved leave of absence due to pregnancy/maternity.

• All benefits-eligible, full-time team members are also covered by Piedmont’s employer-paid LTD plan.
• LTD pays 50% of your salary once Short-Term Disability (STD) coverage ends after 180 days of disability.
• During the annual Open Enrollment period, you have the option to elect a 10% LTD buy-up to increase your income protection to 60% of your salary. For more details, see the LTD section.

• MLP is offered to full-time and part-time team members, excluding practicing physicians, who are approved for Military Leave.
• You may receive up to two (2) weeks of paid time away per deployment under approved Military Leave (excludes training).
• MLP will be the equivalent of your regular wages, based on current rate and full-time employment status, and will not include differentials, incentives or unproductive time.
• You must submit documentation (e.g. military orders, a letter from the commanding officer, etc.) to confirm the deployment and dates to receive MLP.
• You may choose to be paid any accrued PTO, and you will need to notify your manager to document this request in the system.

Piedmont will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities consistent with applicable law. We’ll engage in an interactive process to evaluate potential accommodation and will provide accommodations that don’t create an undue hardship on Piedmont or pose a direct threat to the health and safety of our team members, patients or others.

You may be eligible for reasonable accommodation if you are qualified for the job you hold or seek (i.e., have the skills, ability, knowledge, certification and experience necessary) and can perform the essential functions of the job, either with or without reasonable accommodation.

If you’d like to request reasonable accommodation, or have questions about the accommodation process, please initiate a reasonable accommodation request through AbsenceTracker.

Based on Piedmont’s Leaves of Absence Policy you have the right to appeal the denial determination. If you wish to file an appeal, you must submit the Leave Appeal Request Form within three (3) business days of the date of the denial notification.

Once your appeal is submitted, you will receive an acknowledgment confirming receipt. Your appeal will then be reviewed in accordance with policy, and a final determination will be issued within the established appeal timeframe. All appeal decisions are final.

If an appeal is not received within three (3) business days, your case will be closed. After closure, a member of the HR Business Partner team or your leader will contact you within five (5) business days to discuss next steps, which may include guidance based on Piedmont’s Attendance and Punctuality Policy or other applicable employment policies.

If you have questions about the appeal process, or if you have new or additional information you believe should be considered (such as updated medical documentation or clarification from your provider) please notify your Leave and Accommodation Specialist immediately.