FMLA fraud: Beware these 3 main symptoms.

The FMLA has been around nearly 30 years, so employees have learned to game the system. Here are three key symptoms of fraud and how to combat them:

1. FMLA on Fridays and Mondays. They call it the "Friday-Monday Leave Act" for a reason. Do workers on intermittent FMLA have more absences on Mondays or Fridays or during weekend or overnight shifts? Review the certification to see if the leave's duration or frequency matches the doctor's information. If it doesn't, you can ask the employee to submit a recertification form. Or, show the doctor a record of the employee's absence pattern and ask if the health condition is consistent with it.

2. Vague certification of a serious condition. You can (and should) require a medical certification that supports the FMLA request. If you doubt its authenticity, contact the health care provider. Seek clarification on the details or verify that the person...