2. Get certified by a healthcare provider

For a medical event (for example, a planned surgery, a family member’s serious illness or giving birth to a baby), download and fill out the Certification of Serious Health Condition form. The form includes a section for you to fill out and a section for your or your family member’s healthcare provider to fill out. The form includes information about your health condition, when it happened and how much time off from work you need based on what your healthcare provider recommends.

(If you prefer, you can use your Family Medical Leave Act form or a doctor’s note instead. Just make sure it includes the same information as the Certification of Serious Health Condition form.)

You do not need the Certification of Serious Health Condition form if you’re adopting a child or becoming a foster parent, or for military-related events. You also don’t need it to qualify for 12 weeks of paid leave to bond with your new baby when you or your partner give birth, but you do need to provide proof of birth documentation. (If you are the parent giving birth, you will need the Certification of Serious Health Condition form for the portion of your paid leave that is considered medical leave.)