The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal statute intended to help associates balance their work life, promote economic security and preserve family integrity when there is a need for a leave due to a medical condition and other reasons for yourself and specified family members. IMA pays associates while on an approved leave through our 100% paid Short-Term Disability program* and/or LifeBalance PTO.

Family medical leave is designed to accomplish these purposes in a manner that accommodates the legitimate interest of employers and minimizes the potential for employment discrimination on the basis of gender, while promoting equal employment opportunity for everyone. The notice of “Employee Rights and Responsibilities” under Family Medical Leave generally explains your rights and responsibilities when it may become available to you and what you need to do to protect the right to receive FML.

PERKY Leave Tool

If you are preparing to welcome a new child, the PERKY leave tool is here to help you navigate your time off. From estimating your leave and income to sending reminders and creating a custom action plan, PERKY makes the process easier every step of the way.

who is eligible?

Associates are eligible for Family Medical Leave (FML) if the following criteria have been met:

• If you have been employed with IMA for at least one year, and
• Worked at least 1,250 hours in the previous 12 months

how to file a claim

If you need to be absent from work for more than 3 calendar days for your own illness, illness of a family member, or for the birth, adoption or foster care placement of a child:

You should contact Lincoln Financial Group online at LincolnFinancial.com using company code LF1591IMA.

To file a claim for Family Medical Leave, you should contact Lincoln Financial Group online at LincolnFinancial.com or by phone at 800.320.7585 using company code LF1591IMA minimum 30 days prior to your leave request when possible. If a leave is unexpected, you should inform your manager and HRLeaveMgmt@imacorp.com as soon as you are aware of the need for leave. 

For more guidance, review the How to Report a Claim or Leave flyer.

You should have this information ready before you call:

• Name, address and other key identifying information
• Name of your department and last full day of active work
• The nature of your claim or leave request
• The associate’s or family member’s treating physician’s name, address, phone and fax number
• The associate’s manager or HR representative’s name and phone number

If your absence from work is for your own illness you may qualify for IMA’s short-term disability (STD). A Lincoln Claims Manager will obtain the necessary information from you and your physician to determine whether or not your absence will qualify for STD.

The video below is an overview designed to be a quick resource tool for associates. You will find everything you need to know about FMLA including:

• How to recognize the need for a leave
• What qualifies as a serious health condition
• When you become eligible
• How your time is recorded for payroll while on leave
• And more…

Managers at IMA are on the frontline when it comes to leave requests and are an important first step in the process. Although IMA has LifeBalance PTO and flexible work arrangements, it’s important that IMA offers legally required Family Medical Leave and state leave protections to all eligible associates.

As a manager, it’s important for you to know how to recognize and respond to an associate’s request for leave that may be eligible under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). If you intentionally or unintentionally deny employees’ rights under FMLA, you and IMA Financial Group, Inc. can be held liable.

Although you are not expected to know all of the details of FMLA, you should know the basics and how to recognize a possible serious health condition.

It is not the manager’s responsibility to determine eligibility for a leave of absence or to communicate the type of pay or benefits an associate may receive while on leave. Please notify HRLeaveMgmt@imacorp.com when an associate may need a leave of absence.

what you need to know while your associate is on leave

When your associate has been approved for a leave of absence, there are few things that you as a manager should be aware of to ensure you do not intentionally or unintentionally deny your employees’ rights under FMLA. Watch this brief video to better understand your role and responsibility while your associate is on an approved leave.

How the Associate Files a Claim

If your associate needs to be absent from work for more than 3 calendar days for their own illness, illness of a family member, or for the birth, adoption or foster care placement of a child:

The associate should contact Lincoln Financial Group online at LincolnFinancial.com or by phone at 800.320.7585 using company code LF1591IMA.

To file a claim for Family Medical Leave, the associate should reach out 30 days in advance of the leave or within two (2) business days of the date you become aware of the leave.

For more guidance, review the How to Report a Claim or Leave flyer.

The associate should have this information ready before they call:

• Name, address and other key identifying information
• Name of your department and last full day of active work
• The nature of your claim or leave request
• The associate’s treating physician’s name, address, phone and fax number
• The associate’s manager or HR representative’s name and phone number

If your associate’s absence from work is for their own illness they may qualify for IMA’s short-term disability (STD). Lincoln Financial Group will obtain the necessary information from the associate and their physician to determine whether or not their absence will qualify for STD.

IMA recognizes the necessity for active duty training and/or extended periods of leave to enter “service in the uniformed services.” Services in the uniformed services includes active duty in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserves, or Air Force National Guard and Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and any other category of persons designated by the President during a time of war or national emergency.

who is eligible?

Associates may be eligible for Military leave if the following criteria are met:

• You are a member of uniformed services including:
• Active Duty: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard
• Reserves: Army, Air National Guard, Coast Guard
• Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service
• Any other category of persons designated by the President during a time of war or national emergency

Pay will be for the difference between uniformed service pay and wages normally received from IMA during the leave period. This difference in pay is applicable if the total of such employee’s uniformed service pay and allowances (excluding travel pay) is less than the amount of regular base salary received from IMA for the same period. It is not the intent for the employee to be paid more than 100% of their normal wages.

This policy applies to all employees who leave their jobs for extended periods of time (16 days or more) to enter “service in the uniformed services”. Service in the uniformed services includes active duty in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserves, or Air Force National Guard and Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service. Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployments Rights Act (USERRA) rights also apply to any other category of persons designated by the President during a time of war or national emergency.

USERRA applies to those service members who volunteer for active duty, as well as those who are called up to serve. For associates who are called up by their state for National Guard duty for relief during disasters, riots or other emergencies, please refer to each state’s reemployment rights law.

Finally, USERRA provides that service includes active duty, active and inactive duty for training, Federal National Guard duty, examinations to determine the fitness for duty, to perform funeral honors and service under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.

duration of leave

Duration of Leave Reemployment rights apply only to employees whose cumulative period of uniformed service (i.e., the current period of service and any prior periods) does not exceed five years while employed by IMA. However, in computing the cumulative five-year period, IMA will not count time spent in the National Guard and reservist training. Further, IMA will not count involuntary extensions of service that result from the following:

• an order to remain on active duty because of a war or national emergency (unless the extension is for training);
• the veteran’s inability to obtain release orders before expiration of the five-year period through no fault of his own;
• an obligation to complete an initial period of service that is beyond five years; an order to fulfill additional training requirements certified in writing by the Secretary of Defense;
• as determined by the Secretary of Defense, in support of certain operational or critical missions.

It will be the general policy of IMA Financial Group, Inc. & Its Affiliates and Subsidiaries to recognize the necessity for active duty training, normally a period of 15 days or less, for members of the Military Reserve or the National Guard.

compensation during short-term military leave

Full-time employees will be paid LifeBalance Paid Time Off (PTO) for necessary active duty training.