Amazon prides itself on being extremely consumer and employee-driven. However, many workers have complained about Amazon’s work policies, and most agree that their benefits and medical policies seem fantastic on paper but are actually quite challenging to apply for.
So let’s find out exactly what Amazon’s FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) entails and the important facts you need to understand about the policy.
Amazon FMLA Policy
According to federal regulations, certain employees of every company, including Amazon, are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for birthing parents. However, the company states that some employees can receive 20 weeks of paid leave after giving birth. Amazon’s FMLA policy is complicated, and only specific employees are eligible.
If you want to learn the ins and outs of Amazon’s FMLA policy, including its maternity and paternity leave policy, as well as how to apply for FMLA at Amazon, we have everything you need to know right here!
Amazon Maternity Leave Policy
Amazon’s maternity leave policy officially states that they offer 20 weeks of fully paid leave to birthing parents, including up to 4 weeks before the baby is born.
They also offer 6 weeks of fully paid leave to adoptive mothers and even 6 weeks to parents whose spouses do not receive paid leave from their jobs.
On paper, this policy looks pretty great, but it’s important to note that only certain Amazon employees are eligible for these offerings.
Employees are eligible if they have one year of continuous service and are regularly scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week before their child arrives.
In addition to needing specific eligibility, actually applying for maternity leave at Amazon can be extremely tedious, and we will step through the process in a following section so you can understand what you need to do to be granted paid maternity leave from Amazon.
Amazon Paternity Leave Policy
One common question among Amazon employees is if men get paternity leave at Amazon. And there’s good news for you expecting dads at Amazon; the company does offer paternity leave!
Amazon offers 6 weeks of fully paid paternity leave, even if your spouse works at a different company. You can use these weeks off directly after the baby is born or later in the year as needed.
The only requirement is that the employee has worked for Amazon for at least one year continuously and works at least 30 hours per week.
How Long Do You Have to Be at Amazon to Get FMLA?
Just to be clear, every employee applying for FMLA at Amazon needs to have worked at the company for at least one year continuously with a schedule of at least 30 hours per week on the clock.
Scheduled vacations and sick time are not included; if you took significant time off from Amazon during the year, you may not be eligible for parental leave.
That being said, Amazon is trying to go above and beyond when it comes to their employee benefits, and if you have any questions as to whether or not you are eligible or how you could become eligible leading up to the birth, it’s best to reach out to your Amazon supervisor or manager.
Amazon Pregnancy Policy
Technically, Amazon can neither refuse to hire nor fire someone who is pregnant according to their pregnancy policy.
As an equal-opportunity employer, Amazon is required by law to allow those who are pregnant or may become pregnant to work as much and as long as they would like to.
Amazon also claims that they accommodate work restrictions for pregnant employees as needed. However, it is important to note that there have been several reports recently that state Amazon is not as accommodating to pregnant employees as they claim to be.
Does Amazon Offer Paid FMLA?
Great news, Amazon absolutely does offer paid FMLA, as long as the employee has worked for Amazon for at least one continuous year and works for more than 30 hours each week.
For parents giving birth, you can receive up to 20 weeks of fully paid leave, including 4 weeks pre-partum and up to 16 weeks postpartum.
For supporting parents, Amazon offers up to 6 weeks of paid leave to be used at your discretion.
Parents whose spouse does not work at Amazon are still eligible for both paid maternity and paternity leave.
How Much Does Amazon Pay For Maternity Leave?
How much Amazon pays for maternity leave depends on the employee’s standard payment.
The company states that all 20 weeks of maternity leave will be fully paid, which means that the employee will receive exactly the same amount as they would if they were working their regular schedule.
For hourly employees, that amount will depend on how many hours they worked during the year leading up to their leave, and for salaried employees, their standard monthly rate would apply.
How Does Amazon FMLA Work?
FMLA is actually a federally regulated policy that companies must adapt if they fit into the employment requirements.
Officially, Amazon is only required to give 12 weeks of unpaid leave to birthing parents who work more than 30 hours per week; however, the company’s specific FMLA policy states that birthing parents will receive 20 weeks of fully paid leave.
But you might be wondering, how does Amazon FMLA actually work? Amazon claims that the process is incredibly simple, and all you need to do to access your FMLA time off is to write a written notice to your manager or supervisor explaining your parental situation, the expected date of birth, and your anticipated leave and return dates.
In order to improve the experience of parents on leave from Amazon, the company has also added several HR representatives to their payroll that specialize as Parent Ambassadors. These employees specifically work with parents on leave to finalize their applications, check in with them while they are away, and adjust any leave and start dates as needed.
How to Apply for FMLA at Amazon
Applying for FMLA at Amazon is quite easy! You should deliver a written notice to your manager or supervisor, including the following information.
- Your expected leave start and end dates.
- Your job title.
- The name of your supervisor/manager.
- The contact information.
- Reasons for maternity/paternity leave.
- The completed forms filled out by your medical provider.
You can send in this notice at any time before or after the child is born or adopted; however, advanced notice is better as it will ensure you will continue to be paid regularly and won’t have to wait for the application to be accepted to receive your fully paid time off.
Amazon FMLA Paperwork
You cannot simply write a handwritten note that says you are pregnant or an expecting parent and expect fully paid parental leave. Amazon does require specific paperwork to be filled out by your medical professional.
Luckily, the Amazon FMLA paperwork is readily available online and you can simply print them yourself, take them to your next doctor’s visit, and return them filled out with your application for paternal leave to your manager or supervisor.
Amazon FMLA Phone Number
While Amazon does not have a direct phone line specifically for questions regarding the FMLA policy or your application, the best way to get in contact with someone who can help is by calling their HR phone number: (888) 892-7180.
Conclusion
The Amazon FMLA policy allows parents to receive fully paid time off if they have worked at Amazon for at least 30 hours a week for one year continuously. Birthing parents are allotted 20 weeks of fully paid leave, whereas supporting and adoptive parents receive 6 fully paid weeks off.
