Certification for the Employee’s Serious Health Condition. The Township will require certification for the employee’s serious health condition. The employee must respond to such a request within 15 days of the request or provide a reasonable explanation for the delay. Failure to provide certification may result in a denial of continuation of leave. The Township may directly contact the employee’s health care provider for verification or clarification purposes using a health care professional, an HR professional, Township administrator or management official. The Township will not use the employee’s direct supervisor for this contact. Before the Township makes this direct contact with the health care provider, the employee will be a given an opportunity to resolve any deficiencies in the medical certification. In compliance with HIPAA Medical Privacy Rules, the Township will obtain the employee’s permission for clarification of individually identifiable health information. The Township has the right to ask for a second opinion if it has reason to doubt the certification. The Township will pay for the employee to get a certification from a second doctor, which the Township will select. The Township may deny FMLA leave to an employee who refuses to release relevant medical records to the health care provider designated to provide a second or third opinion. If necessary to resolve a conflict between the original certification and the second opinion, the Township will require the opinion of a third doctor. The Township and the employee will mutually select the third doctor, and the Township will pay for the opinion. This third opinion will be considered final. The employee will be provisionally entitled to leave and benefits under the FMLA pending the second and/or third opinion.
Certification for the Employee’s Serious Health Condition. The Employer will require certification for the employee’s serious health condition. The employee must respond to such a request within 15 days of the request or provide a reasonable explanation for the delay. Failure to provide certification may result in a denial of continuation of leave. The Employer may directly contact the employee’s health care provider for verification or clarification purposes using a health care professional or management official. In compliance with HIPAA Medical Privacy Rules, the Employer will obtain the employee’s permission for clarification of individually identifiable health information. The Employer has the right to ask for a second opinion if it has reason to doubt the certification. The Employer will pay for the employee to get a certification from a second doctor, which the Employer will select. The Employer may deny FMLA leave to an employee who refuses to release relevant medical records to the health care provider designated to provide a second or third opinion. If necessary to resolve a conflict between the original certification and the second opinion, the Employer will require the opinion of a third doctor. The Employer and the employee will mutually select the third doctor, and the Employer will pay for the opinion. This third opinion will be considered final. The employee will be provisionally entitled to leave and benefits under the FMLA pending the second and/or third opinion.
