what is intermittent fmla

Intermittent FMLA is leave taken pursuant to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for a single injury, taken in separate, non-consecutive time periods rather than a single span of time. It is unpaid leave that can be taken in separate, non-consecutive increments for the same issue, instead of taking all eligible leave consecutively. Employees have the right to take FMLA leave all at once or, when medically necessary, in separate blocks of time or by reducing their usual weekly or daily work hours. Intermittent FMLA can be taken in increments smaller than half days, such as needing to leave work for two hours to take a chronically ill child to a doctor’s appointment. An eligible employee can generally only take intermittent or reduced-schedule leave under the FMLA when it is medically necessary.