Parental or family medical leave.

(1) As used in this section, the term “family” means a child, parent, or spouse, and the term “family medical leave” means leave requested by an employee for a serious family illness including an accident, disease, or condition that poses imminent danger of death, requires hospitalization involving an organ transplant, limb amputation, or other procedure of similar severity, or any mental or physical condition that requires constant in-home care. The term “parental leave” means leave for the father or mother of a child who is born to or adopted by that parent.

(2) The state shall not:

(a) Terminate the employment of any employee in the career service because of the pregnancy of the employee or the employee’s spouse or the adoption of a child by that employee.

(b) Refuse to grant to a career service employee parental or family medical leave without pay for a period not to exceed 6 months. Such leave shall commence on a date that is determined by the employee in consultation with the attending physician following notification to the employer in writing, and that is approved by the employer.

(c) Deny a career service employee the use of and payment for annual leave credits for parental or family medical leave. Such leave shall commence on a date determined by the employee in consultation with the attending physician following notification to the employer in writing.

(d) Deny a career service employee the use of and payment for accrued sick leave or family sick leave for any reason deemed necessary by a physician or as established by policy.

(e) Require that a career service employee take a mandatory parental or family medical leave.

(3) Upon returning at the end of parental or family medical leave of absence, such employee shall be reinstated to the same job or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay and with seniority, retirement, fringe benefits, and other service credits accumulated prior to the leave period. If any portion of the parental or family medical leave is paid leave, the employee shall be entitled to accumulate all benefits granted under paid leave status.