Page 33 - Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual

the leave, the employee will be required to continue to make all premium payments that he/she otherwise
would have had to make if actively employed. Where feasible, Augusta, Georgia will advise the employee
concerning the necessary arrangements for such payments prior to the commencement of the leave. If the
employee fails to return to work following the expiration of FMLA leave for a reason other than a serious
health condition or circumstances beyond the employee’s control, Augusta, Georgia will be entitled to the
repayment by the employee of any premiums paid by Augusta, Georgia during the leave. Failure to make
timely premium payments may result in the termination of coverage.

An employee on FMLA leave should deliver payment of the employee’s portion of such premium to the
Human Resources Department prior to the first work day of each month. Failure to make prompt payment
of the employee’s portion of such premium may result in the loss of medical insurance coverage for the
duration of the FMLA leave, but upon the employee’s return to work, the medical insurance will be restored
as of the date that the employee returns. If the employee does not return from FMLA leave or returns to
work, but does not remain an active employee for at least thirty (30) days, Augusta, Georgia may seek to
recover the amount paid for such insurance premiums from the employee. An employee on FMLA leave
shall be responsible for the payment of the full premium for all other insurance, pensions and other benefits.
Failure of the employee to pay the entire premium for such items shall result in their lapse for the duration
of the FMLA leave. If the employee returns from FMLA leave, all such insurance, pension and other
benefits shall be restored without any break in service.

An employee shall not accrue any credit toward vacation or other benefits based upon time worked for the
time that he or she is on FMLA leave.

H. Return to Work / Fitness-for-Duty Certification:

Consistent with Augusta, Georgia practice, before returning to work following a medical leave due to the
employee’s serious health condition, the employee will be required to present a fitness-for-duty certification
from his or her health care provider that the employee is medically able to resume work and to perform the
essential functions of his or her job. If the date on which an employee is scheduled to return to work from
an FMLA leave changes, the employee is required to give notice of the change, if foreseeable, to Augusta,
Georgia within two (2) business days of the change.

Subject to the limitations below, an employee returning from FMLA leave will be restored to the position
of employment held when the leave commenced or to an equivalent position. Job restoration may be denied
if conditions unrelated to the FMLA leave have resulted in the elimination of the employee’s position or if
the employee qualifies as a “key employee” (generally the highest paid 10% of the workforce). Key
employees may be denied job restoration if it would cause substantial and grievous economic injury to
Augusta, Georgia, in which case the key employee will be notified of this decision.

In summary, upon expiration of a FMLA leave, an employee who returns to work shall be restored to the
same or an equivalent job, if the employee shall have:

1. Called the Human Resources Department in accordance with terms above;
2. Furnished the Human Resources Department with proper certifications and re-certifications in
accordance with terms above;
3. Submitted to any second or third examination by a health care provider upon request of Augusta,
Georgia;

All Rights Reserved – As approved by the Commission on 05-07-2019 33 | P a g e