Short answer
Avoid language that ties protected leave to blame, reliability, or negative job consequences.
What Not to Say to Employees on FMLA Leave
Learn which phrases create FMLA retaliation risk, why wording matters, and how to rewrite employee messages more safely.
Why wording matters
When managers connect leave to morale, reliability, or performance pressure, the message can become evidence of retaliation risk.
Bad example
Your FMLA absences are becoming a problem for the team.
Safer rewrite
We'd like to review attendance expectations and confirm whether any leave protections or related processes apply before discussing next steps.
ADA · FMLA · EEOC Aligned Guidance
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