How are bonuses affected by FMLA leave? Forum

[sener212]

Hey people,

I took approved fmla leave for medical issues at my biglaw firm this year. My understanding is I am “credited” in some way for 8 hours of work for each day of fmla leave. I want to inquire with my firm as to how this affects my bonus (I am aware of no clear policy), but before I do I want to have an idea of what other firms do.

For similar leaves of absence (e.g. paternity/maternity leave) do your firms actually move your hours target down proportional to the time you took off? Do you get a prorated bonus based on time taken off by hitting the prorated hours target, or is it a full bonus if you hit the proportionally reduced hourly number? Or no bonus at all without hitting standard number?

[shock259]

My firm pro-rates down your hourly requirement based on your leave, and then pro-rates down your bonus accordingly. So, an easy example would be if you are gone for 1 month, you have a 1/12th lower billable requirement for the year. If you hit that target, you get your foll bonus, minus the 1/12th.

Mine also has a true up. So if your full billable target (2000) even though you were out for 1/12th of the year, you will get the full bonus.

Not sure how other firms operate, though.

[sener212]

Bump. Any other examples? Seems like a relatively important benefit (particularly for this having kids) that we don’t have much info on.

[Anonymous User]

I think my firm may pay full bonus if you make a prorated hours requirement, but haven't encountered this myself.

[worklifewhat]

My firm pro-rates down your hourly requirement based on your leave, and then pro-rates down your bonus accordingly. So, an easy example would be if you are gone for 1 month, you have a 1/12th lower billable requirement for the year. If you hit that target, you get your foll bonus, minus the 1/12th.

Mine also has a true up. So if your full billable target (2000) even though you were out for 1/12th of the year, you will get the full bonus.

Not sure how other firms operate, though.

Same at my firm.

[Anonymous User]

My firm prorates your hours target for purposes of "hitting your hours", but there's no written policy on whether your bonus is correspondingly prorated. My suspicion is that it's not prorated for paid leave, but if you take unpaid leave, it might be. But I dunno, bump this in December and I and others might have a clearer understanding!