Because employees spend a lot of time at work, it's not uncommon for medical emergencies and flare-ups of chronic conditions to occur at the workplace. Workers may experience events like heart attacks, hernias, fainting, asthma attacks or acute appendicitis.

If an employee suddenly falls ill at work, keep in mind that they may be entitled to immediately take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and not allowing that to happen could produce a costly lawsuit.

"The practical thing to do once an employee becomes ill at work is attend to their needs in the most private and confidential way. Depending on how ill they are, you may have to call an ambulance or call a health care provider," said Kristina Griffin, owner of Pinnacle HR Consulting in Clinton, Md. "My reaction would be to get them to a private area so you can talk to them privately."

If the person can speak, you can ask them what they need, such as a medication that's in their desk or purse, or if they want you to call a family member. Griffin recalled a time when she needed to call an ambulance for an employee who went into diabetic shock.

At some point, you may need to find out more information about the person's medical condition, past FMLA requests or employment history. An employee is eligible for FMLA leave if they have worked for a covered company for at least 12 months and at least 1,250 hours during the past 12 months. The FMLA covers serious health conditions but not brief and minor ailments...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMieWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNocm0ub3JnL...