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Initial Certification
The University of Northern Iowa requires medical certification from a health care provider for leaves due to the serious health condition of a family member or the employee’s own health condition. The University will provide the employee with a standard form developed by the Department of Labor that is to be used for the purpose of acquiring medical certification that the condition qualifies under the definition of a serious health condition.
Upon request, Human Resource Services will provide a list of the employee’s essential and marginal job functions for the health care provider to review. The essential functions are the basic job duties that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Employees must return the certification within 15 days of the date of the letter of designation sent by the University. If the certification is not returned within the 15-day period, commencement of the leave may be delayed until certification is submitted.
The University may not conduct follow-up inquiries of the employee’s health care provider. The University may also not request any information from the employee or the employee’s health care provider beyond that included in the medical certification form.
The University may request a second medical opinion if it is deemed necessary to establish a serious health condition. The University may choose the provider for the second opinion. The employee’s department will pay for the second opinion.
If the first and second opinions are not in agreement, a third medical opinion may be requested, at the expense of the employee’s department. The selection of the health care provider for the third opinion must be agreeable to both the employee and the University. The third opinion will be final and binding.
Re-certification
The University of Northern Iowa may require an employee to acquire re-certification from his/her health care provider during the FMLA leave. The University may request re-certification as frequently as every 30 days, and sooner in connection with an employee’s absence when:
- Circumstances described in the original certification have changed significantly;
- T he University receives information that casts doubt about the continuing validity of the certification; or
- An employee asks for an extension of his/her leave during leave that was supposed to last a specified length of time.
The employee must provide the re-certification to the University within 15 days after the request is made unless it is not practicable under the particular circumstances. Any re-certification will be at the employee’s expense.
Certification Required for Return to Work
When a leave involves the employee’s own serious health condition, the University of Northern Iowa requires written certification from the employee’s health care provider that the employee is able to resume work. The University may also request a second medical opinion regarding the employee’s ability to return to work. In this event, the University may choose the provider for the second opinion and the employee’s department will pay the expense.
If the first and second opinions are not in agreement, a third medical opinion may be requested, at the expense of the employee’s department. The selection of the health care provider for the third opinion must be agreeable to both the employee and the University. The third opinion will be final and binding.
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