Leave of Absence (LOA) Process Flowchart

Unless a leave of absence is protected under federal law (e.g., the Family Medical Leave Act [FMLA] or the Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act [USERRA]) or a state leave law, at some point an employee out on a leave of absence will no longer be eligible for benefits under the employer’s benefit plans. When that is depends on the language of the relevant plan documents and/or the employer’s leave policies. Employers should determine ahead of time how benefit eligibility will be handled during a leave of absence, to ensure consistency and manage expectations. Our guide discusses eligibility, payment for coverage, failing to terminate coverage, and measuring hours of service.