What are the different ways I can take leave (continuous, reduced schedule, or intermittent)?

Quick answer
This article explains the three ways employees can use family or medical leave: continuous (a complete block of time off), reduced schedule (a consistent part-time schedule known in advance), and intermittent (occasional or separate blocks of absence, often unpredictable). Which type applies depends on the employee's medical or family need and the applicable leave law.

Who this applies to / Prerequisites

• Employees with an approved or pending leave for a family or medical reason.

Key facts

1. Continuous leave is a complete break from work for a block of time, typically several consecutive weeks or days (e.g., 12 consecutive weeks, or 4 consecutive days).
2. Reduced schedule leave is part-time work where absences are known in advance and taken on a consistent schedule (e.g., 3 days per week, or 6 hours per day).
3. Intermittent leave covers occasional absences taken for hours or days at a time, often at unpredictable intervals (e.g., 4 treatments per year lasting 3 hours each, or 1 episode per month lasting 8 hours).
4. Intermittent leave can also take the form of separate blocks of continuous leave for one leave reason, which may be known in advance or identified as needed (e.g., 2 weeks of parental leave in March and 10 weeks starting in July).

What if it doesn't work

• I'm not sure which leave type applies to my situation: Contact your Leave Success Manager for guidance.

Limits and exceptions

• Not applicable — this article is background information, not a procedure.

Related questions

• Can I use more than one type of leave at the same time?
• How do I report intermittent leave absences in Tilt?
• How does intermittent leave work under FMLA?