FMLA - Routine Dental Treatments
RMH
3 Posts
Hello All and HAPPY NEW YEAR...
I have a situation with an employee who sent me the following:
_________________________________
"I had oral surgery done on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006. As a result, I now have to wear dentures. Apparently, this is a time consuming procedure. For the next 6 months I will have to go to have these dentures relined approx. 4 or 5 times, depending upon the shrinkage of my gums. I will also have to go for a deep cleaning of my remaining teeth in that time period, and regular cleanings every 3 months from there after. At the end of the 6 months, I will have to go again to have a cast made for a permanent set of teeth, and then go back again when they are ready. I don't think there will be re-alignments to those as there is with these because the shrinkage should have stopped by then, but I don't know for sure.
Every quarter I need to go for a blood test and a doctor's visit for "preventative maintenance" on another issue.
My question is this. Should I apply for the FMLA?"
_________________________________
My feelings on the above email are as follows:
The 'oral surgery' itself would/could have been covered under FMLA if it had caused the employee to miss three consecutive days of work...
However, now the employee is in a position of having routine preventative maintenance and followup appointments the regulations state: "The regulations provide that "treatments" for serious health conditions include examinations to determine if a serious health condition exits, but do not include routine physical, dental or eye examinations".
Would this employee be entitled to FMLA for "routine preventative maintenance"...
Thank you for your input...
I have a situation with an employee who sent me the following:
_________________________________
"I had oral surgery done on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006. As a result, I now have to wear dentures. Apparently, this is a time consuming procedure. For the next 6 months I will have to go to have these dentures relined approx. 4 or 5 times, depending upon the shrinkage of my gums. I will also have to go for a deep cleaning of my remaining teeth in that time period, and regular cleanings every 3 months from there after. At the end of the 6 months, I will have to go again to have a cast made for a permanent set of teeth, and then go back again when they are ready. I don't think there will be re-alignments to those as there is with these because the shrinkage should have stopped by then, but I don't know for sure.
Every quarter I need to go for a blood test and a doctor's visit for "preventative maintenance" on another issue.
My question is this. Should I apply for the FMLA?"
_________________________________
My feelings on the above email are as follows:
The 'oral surgery' itself would/could have been covered under FMLA if it had caused the employee to miss three consecutive days of work...
However, now the employee is in a position of having routine preventative maintenance and followup appointments the regulations state: "The regulations provide that "treatments" for serious health conditions include examinations to determine if a serious health condition exits, but do not include routine physical, dental or eye examinations".
Would this employee be entitled to FMLA for "routine preventative maintenance"...
Thank you for your input...
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