The employer designates the 12 month period during which an employee is entitled to be absent from work for up to 12 weeks. The University of Michigan uses a 12 month period based on the employee's date of hire. This is a fixed year in that it does not vary from year to year.

Example: If an employee's date of hire is June 6, the employee's FMLA benefit year is June 6 through June 5 of the following calendar year. If the employee's date of hire is June 6, 2001, and the FMLA qualifying event occurs on February 17, 2009, the employee's FMLA benefit year would be June 6, 2008 to June 5, 2009.

The first day of an employee’s absence to care for a servicemember with a serious injury or illness designates the 12 month period during which the employee is entitled to be absent from work for up to 26 weeks.

Example:  If an employee’s first absence to care for a servicemember with a serious injury or illness occurred on May 15, 2009, the FMLA benefit year for use of the employee’s 26 weeks of FMLA coverage would be May 15, 2009 to May 14, 2010.