# Planning for Your Employee's Medical Leave ## expand\_more Thoughtful planning and discussion before a medical leave will pave the way for smooth transitions for all involved. See below for suggested steps in planning for an employee's Leave and their transition back to work. Open all sections Close all sections ### Meet with the Employee expand\_more - If possible and appropriate, use the [Work Responsibilities Coverage Form](/file_url/442) as a basis for your discussion. With respect to each task or project listed, ask the employee for their ideas about who might best take over these responsibilities temporarily. - Clarify the employee’s expectations about when the medical leave will begin and when they will return to work (if known at that time). Please do not ask about their medical situation or details around their condition. Also, please do not explore medical information with them, even if volunteered. - Let the employee know that the FAS Leaves Consultant will be their central point of contact during the leave period and that you will receive status updates from them regarding the prospective return to work date. - A return-to-work plan can be established once the FAS Leaves Office has confirmed a return to work date. If the employee’s return requires work-related accommodations, the FAS Leaves Office will work with the employee and the department on the requested accommodations. University Disability Resources may be involved as needed to lend expertise. - Please do not share information with other employees about the employee’s medical condition. It is okay to say that they are on extended leave - Please remind the employee that they should not be working while they are out on their continuous medical leave. ### Make a Plan for Managing the Employee’s Job Responsibilities expand\_more - Your HR Consultant can provide guidance as needed to help you plan coverage during an employee’s leave. - Prioritize the employee’s current and upcoming projects, and consider what may be postponed until their return. - Think about other staff members who may take over some or all of the employee’s responsibilities while the employee is on leave. If possible, consider the employee’s own recommendations. This may be a development opportunity for current employees, whose skill sets may be increased by taking on the additional responsibilities. - Think about how you would like to [recognize and reward](https://hr.fas.harvard.edu/recognition) others on the team who will be assisting with additional work during the employee’s leave. There are a variety of ways to do this such as [interim coverage pay and bonuses](https://hr.fas.harvard.edu/local-bonus-guidelines-fas-managers). Your HR Consultant can assist with determining the best way to reward and recognize employees who assist with interim coverage. - Consider covering some of the employee’s responsibilities yourself. - Consult your HR Consultant for ideas of other employees who might be interested and qualified to take on some of the responsibilities requiring coverage. - Consider whether you will need to hire a temporary employee. ### Maintain Oversight During the Employee's Leave expand\_more - Check in regularly with the staff who are filling in for the employee. Be sure to express your appreciation, and consider providing some token of [appreciation](/recognition "Recognizing and Rewarding Your Staff"). Keep track of progress relating to the employee's projects. If the employee prepared a Work Responsibilities Coverage Form, look at it periodically and fill in status updates as changes occur. - The Leaves Office will notify you of any changes in status to the employee’s leave, such as approvals or extensions. They will also be in contact once the employee submits their return to work form. Please feel free to reach out to the Leaves Office at with any questions during the leave process. ### Know When to Call HR expand\_more - Disciplining an employee is a challenging issue at any time, but particularly so in the context of a medical leave. If there are issues with the employee’s performance, please contact your HR Consultant before taking any action. - Please contact your HR Consultant before making any changes to your employee’s job while they are out on an approved leave. - Please contact your HR Consultant and the Leaves Office if the employee indicates that they will not return to work at the end of their approved leave. - Please contact the Leaves Office if the employee indicates to you that they will need an accommodation due to a medical condition or if they will have any work restrictions when they return to work following a medical leave. ### Prepare for the Employee's Transition Back to Work expand\_more The employee will need to work with the FAS Leaves Office to receive clearance to return to work from their medical leave. - The Leaves Office will communicate the employee’s clearance to return by email prior to their planned return date. - If the employee returns without clearance, please send them home/ask them to stop working (if remote) and contact the Leaves Office. - Schedule a meeting/call with the employee once they return to work to check in and see if they need assistance transitioning back to work. - If the Leave has been a long one, consider a “Welcome Back” gesture such as leaving a handwritten card at the employee’s workstation. When making staffing decisions for future projects, consider assignments for the employee.