One leave request can involve FMLA, the ADA, state paid leave, and your own PTO policy. This kit helps you determine which apply, check eligibility, track leave in hours, work through accommodations using the interactive process, and document each decision. The files bring these steps together so you can handle the full request.
Four resources for leave and accommodation decisions
The files work together from the first request through the final record. Begin with the Field Guide, follow the workbook from the eligibility check through the logs, and use the matching Word templates to document each step.
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Start Here. A two-page guide showing the order of work. Read the Field Guide first, then use the workbook from the FMLA Eligibility Check through the leave and accommodation logs. It explains why every request should be considered under all applicable requirements, including state law.
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The Field Guide, 15 pages. Twelve short sections cover the kit's purpose, the four systems governing time away and how to determine which applies, FMLA coverage, notice, certification, designation, intermittent leave, job restoration, the ADA interactive process and reasonable accommodation, state paid leave and sick time, how PTO works alongside other leave, documentation, privacy, and high-risk situations.
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The Workbook. Seven working tabs: Start Here, FMLA Eligibility Check, FMLA Leave Tracker, Leave Case Log, Accommodation Log, Leave Laws by State, and Definitions. The FMLA Leave Tracker counts leave in hours, Leave Laws by State provides a reference, and Definitions explains terms in plain language. A worked example runs through the working tabs. The workbook works in Excel or Google Sheets.
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The Templates. Eight editable Word forms for each stage: an employee leave request, a leave determination and rights summary, a medical certification request, an intermittent leave schedule and tracking form, an ADA accommodation request, an interactive process record, an accommodation agreement and follow-up, and a return to work and leave closeout.
The request process, step by step
Start with the request, identify the applicable laws, check eligibility, follow the appropriate leave or accommodation process, and document the decision. The kit guides each step and identifies questions that should go to qualified counsel.
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Understand the request and identify the applicable laws. Record the reason for the time off or workplace adjustment, then consider each of the four systems: FMLA, the ADA, state paid leave, and your own PTO. More than one may apply to the same absence. Protect medical information from the first conversation.
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Check FMLA eligibility and send the notices. Use the FMLA Eligibility Check to review the covered-employer and eligible-employee tests, months and hours worked, and the fifty-employees-within-seventy-five-miles count. Send the eligibility and rights notice within five business days, including the reason if the employee is ineligible. Request certification when the reason requires it, and designate the leave in writing.
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Track intermittent leave in hours. Use the FMLA Leave Tracker to record leave against the twelve-week entitlement. Count intermittent and reduced-schedule leave in hours rather than days so each absence is charged correctly and the remaining balance is accurate. Keep the Leave Case Log updated from the opening request through the employee's return.
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Work through the interactive process. Recognize requests for workplace adjustments even when an employee does not use formal legal terms. Understand the limitation and discuss possible accommodations together, recording the exchange in the Accommodation Log. This back-and-forth is part of the legal duty. Consider whether an accommodation would create an undue hardship based on difficulty or expense, then record the outcome and review date.
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Document the decision and follow-up. Record what you decided and why using the appropriate template: the rights and determination summary for leave, the accommodation agreement for an adjustment, and the return to work and closeout when the employee returns. Keep medical records in a separate confidential file and consult counsel on close legal questions.
Who this is for and other options
Built for
- An HR generalist, manager, or business owner handling leave or accommodation requests who wants a consistent process for eligibility, notices, tracking, decisions, and documentation.
- A lean HR team using one consistent process for FMLA, the ADA, and state leave across every request, with the relevant guidance and tools together.
- An operations or people leader responsible for reviewing leave and accommodation decisions, confirming the documentation, and knowing when to involve legal counsel.
If you are looking for
- For pregnancy, childbirth, or nursing accommodations governed by their own federal rules under the PWFA and the PUMP Act, see the PWFA and PUMP Accommodation Kit.
- For ongoing tracking of accrued PTO and leave balances, rather than decisions about a single protected-leave request, use the PTO and Leave Tracker in the HR Operations Binder.
- For chronic attendance problems involving absences that are not protected leave, the Attendance Point System Tracker supports management through an attendance policy or point system.
Before you buy
What format are the files and can I edit them?
The Field Guide and Start Here are print-ready PDFs. The workbook is an Excel file that also works in Google Sheets, and the templates come in one editable Word file. Adapt every editable file to your needs. Save a separate copy of the workbook for each person on leave.
What does the kit include beyond a free FMLA or ADA checklist?
The kit provides a connected process and working tools beyond an individual checklist. You can determine which of the four systems apply, check FMLA eligibility, send the required notices, track intermittent leave in hours, work through the accommodation interactive process, and document the decision. The guide also identifies situations that call for legal counsel.
Does it cover state paid leave, not just FMLA?
Yes. The Field Guide explains how state paid family and medical leave and paid sick time work alongside FMLA, the ADA, and PTO. The workbook includes a Leave Laws by State reference tab. More than a dozen states and the District of Columbia run paid-leave programs, and around twenty require paid sick time. Requirements vary by state and can change, so confirm the rules that apply where the employee works.
What is the refund policy?
Digital products are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. To request a refund, email support@truestephr.com or reply to your receipt within 30 days of purchase.
What happens after I buy?
Your download link appears immediately after checkout, and your email receipt includes the same link. Open Start Here first, then read the Field Guide before handling a live request. For questions or setup assistance, email support@truestephr.com.
How the download works
Your files arrive as a single ZIP download, best opened on a computer. Save it, extract it (right-click and select Extract All on Windows, or double-click on a Mac), then open the Start Here file first. PDFs open in any reader, and editable files work in Microsoft Word and Excel or free equivalents, including LibreOffice, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. No other software is needed. Step-by-step help for every device is at truestephr.com/pages/download-help.
Scope
These working tools and editable templates help you run a clear, consistent, and defensible HR process. Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time, so adapt each template to the facts of your situation to avoid unintended legal exposure. Have qualified counsel review your policies, notices, and individual decisions against applicable law before you act. General HR information, not legal advice.
