FMLA - EE Seriously Injured

HRCalico

I am pleased to announce that there is FINALLY some FMLA training that is a reasonable travel distance from me, but it is not for another six weeks. I need a little advice now, of course.

I received a phone call this evening that an employee was seriously injured in a car accident. He had already arranged to take this coming week off to accompany his father who was having heart bypass surgery. The accident occurred in the city where the surgery was supposed to take place tomorrow, killing the employee's parents, brother, and sister. The employee's sister-in-law was treated and released. I believe our employee has two broken legs and was undergoing some sort of head/brain surgery earlier today.

The employee is separated from his wife (they have not filed for divorce, but he changed his beneficiaries and emergency contact info several months ago) and while he has grown step-children, his children are around high school age. My best guess is that I should determine what hospital he is at, and send the paperwork there in care of him there? Whoof, I really haven't a clue. I want to make sure I do enough, but not too much - he is a distant relative of my inlaws, but he also looked me straight in the eyes and lied during a sexual harassment investigation. As any good HR professional, I will have set any personal feelings aside when I get to work tomorrow.

Looking back, I perhaps should have given him FML paperwork to care for his father, but I didn't think of it at the time, and I really do think his mother would have been capable. Totally a moot point now. Anyway, since he is still legally married, do I send it to his (practically ex-) wife? I doubt anyone will be getting his mail for a while, so I hesitate to send it to his address.

Any advice is most appreciated.

jmcaa

If you know for a fact that he has all of this going on, you should go ahead and put him on FML. Send a letter to his address stating your company has put him on FML as of this date because of his own serious medical condition. You could also send a copy of this letter to the hospital if you know where he is physically at. You probably need to include in that letter that he needs to contact you at his first opportunity to keep you aware of his on-going situation.

If you or one of the employees he works with visits him in the hospital, you could take a copy of the paperwork there with you.

LarryC

Lenetta, I would put him on FML, send him the letter as jmcaa suggests, and get the certification later. I'm sure he'll have a bundle of it.

HRCalico

Thanks, both of you. He is in a hospital about 2 hours away, and the latest update is that they are keeping him in a coma until Friday after surgery to reduce swelling on the brain. At this point, his injuries do not seem to be life-threatening, so I'm hoping this stays a disability claim and doesn't turn into a life insurance claim. (Thank God I haven't had to deal with one of those yet in my career, but I know my time is coming.)

My disability agent also suggested waiting a bit to see what happens. I fear anyone that he may have appointed power of attorney is among the deceased, so it will take a while to sort out.

I will send out the letter as indicated, probably one copy to his address and another to the hospital. I appreciate the comments!