Leave Glossary · Workforce

Designation notice (FMLA): the employer's written notice, due within five business days after it has enough information, that leave is or isn't designated FMLA leave, with the amount counted if known (FMLA Administration).
Eligibility notice (FMLA): the employer's notice, due within five business days after an employee requests leave or the employer learns it may qualify, stating whether the employee is eligible and, if not, why (FMLA Administration).
Employer pick-up (PFML): an employer's voluntary payment of the employee's share of a state paid leave contribution, which is additional wages to the employee under Rev. Rul. 2025-4 (State Paid Family & Medical Leave).
Equivalent plan: an employer's own paid leave plan, approved by the state, that replaces contributions to a state paid family and medical leave program, as in Oregon (State Paid Family & Medical Leave).
Frontloading: granting a year's sick leave or PTO at the start of the year instead of accruing it hour by hour, which changes carryover and payout rules in some states (Sick Leave & PTO Engines).
Intermittent leave: FMLA leave taken in separate blocks for one qualifying reason, counted in the payroll's smallest leave increment, never more than one hour (FMLA Administration).
Leave year method (FMLA): the employer's choice of the 12-month period for the 12-week entitlement: calendar year, fixed year, forward from first use, or rolling backward (FMLA Administration).
Military caregiver leave: up to 26 workweeks of FMLA leave in a single 12-month period, measured forward, to care for a covered servicemember or veteran with a serious injury or illness (FMLA Administration).
Paid family and medical leave (PFML): a state program that pays a weekly benefit during family or medical leave from a fund financed by payroll contributions, withheld and reported by the employer (State Paid Family & Medical Leave).
Qualifying exigency leave: FMLA leave for needs arising from a family member's military duty, within the 12-week entitlement (FMLA Administration).
State Disability Insurance (SDI): California's payroll-funded disability and Paid Family Leave program, withheld from employees at 1.3% with no wage limit for 2026 (State Paid Family & Medical Leave).
Substitution of paid leave: running accrued paid leave concurrently with unpaid FMLA leave, at the employee's election or the employer's requirement (FMLA Administration).
Vacation as wages (California): California's rule that vacation vests as labor is performed, can't be forfeited and is paid at the final rate at separation (Sick Leave & PTO Engines).
Voluntary Plan (California): a private plan approved to replace SDI for an employer's workforce, which must give every SDI benefit and at least one better (State Paid Family & Medical Leave).