Leave time is a valuable part of your employees’ benefits packages in Wisconsin. To manage their leave time properly, you must know your obligations as an employer under state employment law. Becoming familiar with the statutes below will help you process employee leave requests effectively.

3 Employment Law Leave Statutes Wisconsin Employers Should Know

1. Family Medical Leave Act

If you have 50 or more permanent employees during at least six of the previous 12 months, you must provide benefits under the Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Act. Employees who worked for you 52 consecutive weeks or more and for 1,000 hours or more in the preceding 52-week period are entitled to up to two weeks unpaid leave for their serious health condition or that of their parent, child, or spouse and up to six weeks for the adoption or birth of a child. Wisconsin employment law defines a serious health condition as a disabling mental or physical illness, impairment, injury, or condition involving inpatient or outpatient care that requires a health care provider to render continuing treatment or supervision.

2.  Jury Duty Leave

If your employees receive jury summonses or serve on juries, you must give them leaves of absence—without deducting any time in service for their jury duty. You can’t fire or take any other disciplinary employment action against your employees due to their jury service.

3. Voting Leave

Wisconsin election and employment laws require you to give all employees up to three consecutive hours of time off to vote in elections. Employees must request their time off before the day of voting or election. You’re not required to pay workers for their voting leave, and you can set the time for them to take it.

The employment law attorneys at Arndt Buswell & Thorn S.C. work with business owners throughout western and central Wisconsin to ensure they comply fully with federal and state leave laws. Continuing a tradition of high-quality service dating back to 1991, they protect employers’ interests and guide them in developing and administering leave policies. To learn more about their skills in this and other areas of business law, including insurance claims, visit them online now. Call (608) 269-1200 for their Sparta office or (608) 486-2324 for their Bangor location to schedule a free consultation.