FMLA Parental Leave Calculator

How the FMLA parental leave calculator works

1. 1

   Enter your months and hours worked for this employer

   FMLA eligibility requires at least 12 months of employment and at least 1,250 hours worked in the 12 months before the leave starts. Enter both figures so the calculator can check them against the federal thresholds.

2. 2

   Enter the employer's size and covered status

   FMLA generally applies to employers with 50 or more employees within 75 miles of your worksite. Confirm whether your employer meets this test, since it is separate from your own tenure and hours.

3. 3

   Enter the weeks you are requesting and any already used

   FMLA leave is capped at 12 weeks in the applicable 12-month period, shared across all FMLA-qualifying reasons in that period. If you have already used some FMLA leave, enter it so the calculator can show your remaining balance for bonding leave.

4. 4

   Read your likely eligibility and remaining protected weeks

   The calculator checks all four eligibility conditions together and shows how many of your requested bonding weeks would be protected against your remaining entitlement.

How FMLA parental leave eligibility and weeks are worked out

Eligible = covered employer AND 12+ months worked AND 1,250+ hours in the last 12 months AND 50+ employees within 75 miles Remaining weeks = 12 - FMLA weeks already used in the 12-month period Protected weeks = lower of (requested weeks, remaining weeks)

• •All four eligibility conditions must be met at the same time -- meeting three out of four does not qualify you for FMLA protection.
• •FMLA bonding leave must generally be completed within 12 months of the birth, adoption, or foster placement, and can be taken by both parents if both work for covered employers.
• •FMLA leave is unpaid by default. Employers may require, or employees may choose, to use accrued paid leave concurrently with FMLA leave.
• •This calculator estimates eligibility signals and remaining weeks only; it does not replace your employer's or the Department of Labor's formal determination.

Worked example: requesting the full 12 weeks for bonding leave

An employee has worked for a covered employer for 12 months, logged 1,250 hours in the last 12 months, works at a site with 50 or more employees within 75 miles, and requests the full 12 weeks of FMLA leave to bond with a newborn, having used none of the entitlement so far in the 12-month period.

Months worked

12

Hours worked in the last 12 months

1,250

Employees within 75 miles

50

Likely eligible

Yes

Weeks requested

12

FMLA weeks already used

0

Protected weeks

12

The employee is likely eligible and the full 12 weeks requested would be protected, using the entire entitlement for the 12-month period.

FMLA parental/bonding leave eligibility conditions

All four eligibility conditions apply together under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor

What FMLA parental leave does and does not guarantee

All four eligibility tests must pass together

You need a covered employer, 12 months of employment, 1,250 hours worked in the prior 12 months, and a worksite with 50 or more employees within 75 miles. Missing any one of the four means federal FMLA protection does not apply, regardless of the others.

Both parents may be eligible separately

If both parents work for FMLA-covered employers and each individually meets the eligibility conditions, each can take up to 12 weeks of bonding leave -- it is not a single shared 12-week pool between them unless they work for the same employer, where certain limits can apply.

FMLA is job protection, not pay

FMLA guarantees your job and group health benefits during the leave, but the leave itself is unpaid unless you use accrued paid leave concurrently or your state has a separate paid family leave program.

State paid family leave programs may run alongside FMLA

A number of states operate their own paid family leave insurance programs, which can provide pay during a period that also qualifies for federal FMLA job protection. Check your specific state's program separately from this federal calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Is FMLA parental leave paid?

Not under federal law. The FMLA guarantees job protection and continued group health insurance coverage during the leave, but it does not require the employer to pay wages during that time. Many employees use accrued paid vacation, sick leave, or a state paid family leave program concurrently with FMLA to receive some pay during the leave.

How many weeks of FMLA leave do I get for a new baby?

Up to 12 weeks in the applicable 12-month period for the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child and to bond with the child, assuming you meet all four eligibility conditions. This 12 weeks is shared with any other FMLA-qualifying leave you take in the same 12-month period.

Can both parents take FMLA leave for the same baby?

Yes, if both work for FMLA-covered employers and each independently meets the eligibility conditions, each parent can take up to 12 weeks of bonding leave. If both parents work for the same covered employer, federal regulations can limit the combined bonding leave in some circumstances, so check with HR.

By when must I take FMLA bonding leave?

FMLA leave to bond with a new child generally must be completed within 12 months of the birth, adoption, or foster placement. Leave taken to bond with the child outside that 12-month window is not protected under the FMLA bonding leave provision.

Does my employer have to be a certain size for FMLA to apply?

Yes. Private-sector employers must have 50 or more employees within 75 miles of your worksite for FMLA coverage to apply (public agencies and schools are covered regardless of size). If your worksite does not meet the 50-employee/75-mile test, federal FMLA protection generally does not apply even if you meet the other eligibility conditions.