At the end of 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Field Assistance Bulletin to solidify their position on telemedicine visits for establishing serious medical conditions as defined by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The DOL’s guidance provides clarification, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that one can obtain care though phone/virtual calls and this will qualify as treatment under FMLA. When one receives care, it must include an evaluation, examination or treatment by a licensed health care provider typically via a teleconference call and so long as permitted by the state licensing authority.
Contact your Cowden representative for more information on this or other compliance issues.