No, FMLA provides unpaid leave. However, employers may require you to use paid leave (PTO, sick, vacation) concurrently with FMLA. Some states have separate paid family leave programs that provide income during FMLA.

What if my employer has fewer than 50 employees?

Small employers are not covered by federal FMLA. However, many states have their own family leave laws with lower employee thresholds. Check your state's labor department for applicable laws.

Can I be fired while on FMLA leave?

FMLA protects your job during leave. Your employer must restore you to the same or an equivalent position. However, FMLA does not protect against layoffs or termination that would have occurred regardless of your leave.

Do part-time workers qualify for FMLA?

If you meet the 1,250-hour requirement (about 24 hours per week), you can qualify regardless of part-time status. However, many part-time workers do not meet the hours threshold.

Can both parents take FMLA for the same baby?

Yes, if both parents work for FMLA-covered employers and meet eligibility requirements. If they work for the same employer, the combined bonding leave may be limited to 12 weeks total between them.

Does FMLA cover adoption?

Yes. FMLA provides 12 weeks of bonding leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child. The leave must be taken within one year of the child's placement.

FMLA Coverage Calculator

Check your FMLA eligibility and calculate available leave weeks. Determine if you qualify for job-protected family leave.

Leave Reason

Company Employees

50+ Within 75 Miles?

Months Worked

mos

Hours Worked (Past 12 Mo)

hrs

FMLA Already Used This Year

wks

Weeks You Plan to Take

wks

Employer's FMLA Year Method

FMLA Eligibility

✓ Likely Eligible

All 4 criteria met

Max FMLA Weeks

12 weeks

12 weeks standard FMLA

Weeks Available

12 weeks

12 total − 0 already used

Planned Leave Fit

✓ 12 wks covered

Your planned leave fits within FMLA

Avg Hours/Week

38.5

2,000 hrs over 52 weeks

Criteria Met

4 of 4

All requirements satisfied

Eligibility Checklist

✅

Employer size

200 employees (need ≥ 50)

✅

75-mile rule

50+ employees within 75 miles of worksite

✅

Tenure

18 months (need ≥ 12)

✅

Hours worked

2,000 hours (need ≥ 1,250)

FMLA Qualifying Reasons & Duration

Reason	Max Weeks	Notes
Birth / bonding	12	Must be taken within 1 year of birth
Adoption / foster	12	Within 1 year of placement
Own serious health	12	Can be intermittent
Family member care	12	Spouse, child, or parent
Military caregiver	26	Service member with serious injury

State Family Leave Laws (Selected)

State Program	Min Employees	Max Weeks	Paid?
California (CFRA)	5	12	✓ Yes
New York (PFL)	1	12	✓ Yes
New Jersey (FLI)	1	12	✓ Yes
Washington (PFML)	1	12	✓ Yes
Massachusetts (PFML)	1	12	✓ Yes
Connecticut (PFML)	1	12	✓ Yes
Oregon (PFML)	1	12	✓ Yes
Colorado (FAMLI)	1	12	✓ Yes
Maryland (TDI)	1	12	✓ Yes
DC (PFML)	1	8	✓ Yes
Minnesota	21	12	No

State laws may provide additional protections beyond federal FMLA. Check your state's specific requirements.

Planning notes, formulas, and examples

About the FMLA Coverage Calculator

FMLA can provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for birth, adoption, and certain medical situations, but many workers are not eligible because the rules depend on employer size, tenure, and hours worked.

This calculator helps you check the basic eligibility factors and estimate how much protected leave may be available. It is designed as a planning tool before you talk with HR, not as a substitute for an official employer determination.

Use it when you want to understand the federal floor for job protection before mapping maternity leave, paternity leave, or pregnancy-related medical leave.

When This Page Helps

This estimate helps you ask better questions before leave planning becomes urgent. If you know whether FMLA likely applies, it is easier to understand how much of your leave is protected by federal law versus depending on employer policy, state leave, or negotiation.

How to Use the Inputs

Enter the total number of employees at your company.
Enter how many months you have worked for this employer.
Enter your approximate hours worked in the past 12 months.
Enter any FMLA leave already used this year.
View your eligibility status and remaining leave balance.

Formula used

Eligible if:
  1. Employer has ≥ 50 employees within 75 miles
  2. Employee has worked ≥ 12 months
  3. Employee has worked ≥ 1,250 hours in the past 12 months

Remaining Leave = 12 weeks - FMLA already used this year

Example Calculation

Result: Eligible — 12 weeks available

With 200 employees (≥ 50), 18 months of tenure (≥ 12), and 2,000 hours worked (≥ 1,250), all three FMLA eligibility criteria are met. With no FMLA used this year, the full 12 weeks are available.

Tips & Best Practices

FMLA leave runs concurrently with any employer-paid leave — it does not add on top.
The 12-month work requirement does not need to be consecutive.
FMLA leave can be taken intermittently for medical needs, not just as a continuous block.
Your employer must continue your health insurance during FMLA leave.
Provide your employer with at least 30 days' notice when the leave is foreseeable.
Both parents can take FMLA for bonding, even if they work for the same employer (each gets 12 weeks).

FMLA Eligibility Requirements

Three conditions must all be met: your employer must have at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius; you must have worked there for at least 12 months (not necessarily consecutive); and you must have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months before leave begins.

How FMLA Interacts With Other Leave

FMLA runs concurrently with, not in addition to, other leave types. If your employer offers 6 weeks of paid parental leave, taking that leave also uses 6 of your 12 FMLA weeks. Similarly, short-term disability for childbirth recovery counts against your FMLA balance.

State Laws That Expand FMLA

Several states offer family leave protections that go beyond federal FMLA: lower employee thresholds, paid leave benefits, longer leave durations, or broader eligibility criteria. Research your state's specific laws to understand your full rights.

Sources & Methodology

Last updated: February 10, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

No, FMLA provides unpaid leave. However, employers may require you to use paid leave (PTO, sick, vacation) concurrently with FMLA. Some states have separate paid family leave programs that provide income during FMLA.