According to FMLA rules, what is required regarding group health benefits during leave?

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), employers are required to maintain group health benefits for employees on leave. This means that the same health insurance coverage the employee had before taking leave must continue during their FMLA leave. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that employees do not lose their health benefits while they are temporarily away from work for qualifying reasons, such as a serious health condition or family-related circumstances.

Maintaining health benefits during FMLA leave ensures that employees have access to necessary medical care without interruption, supporting both their health and financial stability during a potentially vulnerable time. This protection acknowledges the importance of health insurance coverage and aligns with the intent of the FMLA to provide job-protected leave while ensuring that employees can return to the same or equivalent position and benefits upon their return.

Other options - for example, terminating benefits during leave or making them optional based on employer discretion - would undermine the protections the FMLA is designed to provide. Group health benefits are not contingent on whether the leave is paid or unpaid; rather, they must remain in effect regardless of the pay status of the leave.