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FMLA ? care for ADHD/ADD children

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jpie

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? PA
I'm thinking of Applying for FMLA to reduce my work hours so that I may be present when my TWO ADD/ADHD sons arrive home from School. One son has been failing grades since 4th grade (now in 6th) We have been told several times someone needs to be with him when he sits to do his Homework. To date we have found no solution that works -we've tried several. Since I work me being home has not been an option. I'd like to try it. IS this a valid reason for applying for FMLA? IF so is there any history of it being approved?
 


cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
I think it might be more appropriate if you asked for an accomodation under the ADA. While FMLA MIGHT be appropriate, FMLA time is not unlimited and if you took even 2 hours a day off, you would run out of available FMLA before the end of your company's 12 month period. Under the ADA you could request a reduced or flexible schedule which could be long term.

There are a couple of problems with either solution. I've mentioned one problem with FMLA; there's also the fact that I'm not 100% certain that the conditions you mention would be covered under FMLA. (I'm not 100% certain that they wouldn't either - you might want to discuss it with your doctor.)

On the other hand, whether or not any given condition is covered under the ADA is case-specific, so I can't guarantee that your sons would qualify for ADA protection. In addition, even if they do, you don't get to pick what accomodation you get.

Someone else may have some other suggestions.
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
I can see all sorts of roadblocks to getting either ADA or FMLA approved for this reason unless the doctor certifies this and everyone agrees and since you are already having troubles getting time off at your employment my crystal ball tells me this will be seen as you asking for special considerations which are not allowed.

I would also question if attempting to do homework right after school is the best approach to take anyway for children with ADHD/ADD. It might be a better approach to have some supervised afterschool program with other activities that interest them and do homework later after you are home, some programs offer tutoring and homework assistance.

Have your children been assessed for learning disabilities and Asperger's? Do they have an IEP?
 

jpie

Junior Member
Fmla Add/adhd

YES Both boys have been diagnosed with the disorder, they both have to be back at the doctors every 3 months for Rx eval. My younger son w/adhd at this time is able to function and complete projects etc.. My older son is a complete mess where it comes to school he also has memory issues. He has been tested and the test administrator told us if you knew nothing else about him he would read on the results as a B student.
He has just gotton an IEP. We have a total of 5 children who are all active in something. After school is realistically the only "free" time available.
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
You have 5 children who for some reason or another need your attention after school, that is not your employers responsibility, it is yours. It is not the purpose of either FMLA or ADA to restructure your work to accommodate your child care responsibilities. Futhermore it is unfair to your special needs children to exploit their disabilities for purposes other than their special needs. Please specifically ask for learning disabilities and Asperger's evaluations, if Aspergers or LD are diagnosed there may be options for treatment or other programs, it is very important ot connect to resources so you can both work and provide appropriate care and accommodations for your children, but appropriate accommodations may not be based upon your work, there may be after school programs for the affected children.
 

jpie

Junior Member
Thank you for the information. We do take advantage of the after school (2 days a week) programs. Other progmams that are out there are too expensive.
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
If they are qualified as DD those expensive programs might be paid for by the appropriate agency, that is why I have specifically suggested the evaluations which are required to access the resources.
 

jpie

Junior Member
We have a doctors appt. Tomorrow I will bring it up. He only met two of the signs for Asperger Syndrome. It's just exremely frustrating as he is a bright and personable child. Anyone who meets him would never in a million years guess that he has any issues. He just seems to be "in right field watching the grass grow" his educational eval stated he has no learning disabilites, he is on grade level for most if not above. The tester said he should be a B student.
 

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