Yes, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for specified family and medical reasons, which can include the birth and care of a newborn child. However, FMLA itself does not specifically mention postpartum anxiety as a condition, but it does cover serious health conditions that make the employee unable to perform their job.
Postpartum anxiety could potentially be considered a serious health condition if it includes any period of incapacity or treatment connected with inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility, or continuing treatment by a perinatal healthcare provider. This would generally include conditions that require multiple treatments or ongoing supervision by a healthcare provider.
To be covered under FMLA for postpartum anxiety, an employee would need to provide medical certification from a healthcare provider stating that the condition is serious enough to prevent them from working. It's important for employees to discuss their specific situation with their HR department and healthcare provider to understand how FMLA may apply to their case of postpartum anxiety.
