The City of Atlanta's FMLA Fraud & Abuse

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The abuse of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has increased at an alarming rate within the City of Atlanta.  FMLA abuse occurs when employees take undue time off by abusing the Family and Medical Leave Act rights. It is often challenging to end it because so many rules protect employee's right. The FMLA, or the Family and Medical Leave Act, may grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to specific staff members employed by the City of Atlanta annually. 

Intermittent leave appears to be the main offender for the City of Atlanta's FMLA abuse. City employees who take intermittent leave sometimes stretch out their FMLA-eligible leave several times rather than taking it all at once and for one particular reason. Due to the complexity of the FMLA, many employers are reluctant to pursue employees, even when they are blatantly abusing their leave.

The City of Atlanta's Issues:

  • There is no minimum duration of time that employees are entitled to intermittent leave under FMLA Regulations
  • The medical issues most frequently linked to intermittent leave, such as migraines, can be challenging to prove.

City employees who fraudulently request FMLA leave and short term disability are not entitled to any FMLA benefits or employment restoration rights. The city employee is guilty of forgery or scams, so the city has grounds for termination. Falsifying certification records or documents is one type of FMLA fraud.  FMLA abuse happens when a worker makes improper, disproportionate or excessive use of the system. 

To report FMLA fraud and abuse contact the Department of Labor at 1-866-487-9243. 

 https://www.dol.gov/ 




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