Who qualifies for FMLA leave?

To qualify for FMLA, you must: (1) work for a covered employer (50+ employees within 75 miles), (2) have worked for that employer for at least 12 months, (3) have logged at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months before leave. The 12 months don't have to be consecutive.

How many weeks of FMLA leave am I entitled to?

Most eligible employees are entitled to 12 workweeks of unpaid FMLA leave per 12-month period for qualifying reasons (birth, adoption, serious health condition of self or family member). Military caregiver leave can extend this to 26 workweeks.

FMLA itself is unpaid. However, employers may require (and you may choose) to use accrued paid leave (PTO, vacation, sick days) concurrently with FMLA. Some states have paid family leave programs that run alongside FMLA.

Can FMLA leave be taken intermittently?

Yes. FMLA leave can be taken continuously (full weeks at once), as reduced schedule (e.g., 4 hours per day instead of 8), or intermittently (separate blocks of time — e.g., 2 hours every Thursday for a chronic condition). All formats draw from the same 12-week bank.

What counts as a qualifying FMLA reason?

Qualifying reasons include: birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child; serious health condition of the employee; serious health condition of a spouse, child, or parent; qualifying military exigency; or caring for a covered servicemember with a serious injury (up to 26 weeks).

FMLA Leave Calculator 2026

Check your FMLA eligibility and calculate total leave entitlement.
See leave hours, income impact, and return date.

12-month + 1,250-hour eligibility rules · 12-week & 26-week entitlements · 2026

Employment & Leave Details

Eligibility Check

Months Worked for This Employer *

Minimum required: 12 months (need not be consecutive)

Hours Worked in Past 12 Months *

Minimum required: 1,250 hours. Full-time ≈ 2,080 hrs/yr.

Leave Details

Leave Reason

Leave Type

Scheduled Hours Per Week

Hourly Rate (for income impact)

Or enter 0 to skip income impact

Hours of Leave Per Week (reduced/intermittent)

For reduced: hours taken off per week. For intermittent: avg hours used per week.

Accrued PTO Available

Hours of accrued paid leave employer may require you to use concurrently

FMLA Leave Calculator: How to Calculate FMLA Pay and Hours in 2026

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for qualifying medical and family reasons. Here is how to calculate your FMLA entitlement, understand what you'll be paid (if anything), and plan your leave period.

How to Calculate FMLA Leave Hours

FMLA entitlement is 12 workweeks — not a fixed 480 hours. Your leave hours equal your normal weekly schedule multiplied by 12:

40 hrs/week: 40 × 12 = 480 FMLA hours
32 hrs/week: 32 × 12 = 384 FMLA hours
20 hrs/week (part-time): 20 × 12 = 240 FMLA hours
Payroll Taxes Guide
Overtime Rules
Tax Withholding Guide

For intermittent leave (doctor appointments, flare-ups), FMLA hours are deducted in the actual increment used — an employee cannot be required to take more leave than medically necessary.

The Two FMLA Eligibility Requirements

12-month tenure: Must have worked for the covered employer at least 12 months total (not necessarily consecutive). Breaks in service under 7 years generally still count.
1,250 hours in the past 12 months: Must have actually worked (not just been employed) 1,250 hours in the 12 months immediately before leave begins. Paid PTO and vacation time do not count toward this total unless your employer's policy or state law says otherwise.

Your employer must also have 50 or more employees within 75 miles of your worksite. Employers with fewer than 50 employees are exempt from federal FMLA — though many states have their own family leave laws with lower thresholds.

Is FMLA Paid? How FMLA Pay Works

Federal FMLA is unpaid. However, there are three ways you may receive income during FMLA leave:

Substituted PTO: Employers may require (or employees may elect) to use accrued paid leave concurrently. You'll receive your regular pay for the PTO days, but those days count against your 12-week FMLA entitlement.
State paid family leave: California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Colorado, Oregon, and several other states have paid family and medical leave programs that provide wage replacement (typically 60–90% of your weekly wage) during qualifying leave.
Employer-paid leave policies: Some employers offer paid parental leave or short-term disability that runs concurrently with FMLA.

FMLA Qualifying Reasons in 2026

Federal FMLA applies to:

Birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child (12 weeks, must be taken within 12 months of the event)
Serious health condition of the employee
Caring for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition
Qualifying military exigency (deployment of a spouse, child, or parent)
Military caregiver leave — up to 26 weeks for a covered servicemember's serious injury or illness

Intermittent FMLA: How It Works

Intermittent FMLA allows leave in separate blocks of time or by reducing a normal weekly or daily work schedule. Your doctor must certify the medical necessity and provide a frequency/duration estimate. Your employer may require you to give advance notice when possible (30 days for foreseeable leave) and can transfer you temporarily to an equivalent position that better accommodates your intermittent leave pattern.

FAQ

FMLA leave questions answered

Who qualifies for FMLA?

You must work for a covered employer (50+ employees within 75 miles), have 12 months of tenure, and have logged 1,250 hours in the past year. Public agencies and schools have different thresholds.

Is FMLA leave paid?

FMLA itself is unpaid. However, employers may require you to use accrued PTO concurrently. Many states (CA, NY, WA, NJ, MA, CT, OR, CO) have paid family leave programs that provide wage replacement.

Can I take FMLA intermittently?

Yes. FMLA can be taken in any combination of continuous, reduced schedule, or intermittent blocks. All formats draw from the same 12-week bank. Your employer may ask for a medical certification and a schedule estimate.

Will my job be protected while on FMLA?

Yes. FMLA guarantees return to the same or an equivalent position with the same pay, benefits, and terms. Employers cannot retaliate for taking FMLA leave — termination while on FMLA is a serious legal violation.