Injuries or illnesses that qualify for workers’ comp can also qualify for FMLA leave (as well as leave under the ADA, company-provided leaves of absence, or other leave laws specific to your state). If a worker qualifies for leave under multiple laws or policies, the employer can run the clock for both concurrently (but it’s a good idea to make sure this is well communicated).
For instance, if an on-the-work injury is considered a serious health condition, the employee has the right to take FMLA leave. In addition, if the workers’ comp agency determines that leave is necessary for the employee to recover from the injury, the employer can run both the workers’ comp leave and the FMLA leave at the same time, rather than one after the other. It’s usually in the employer’s best interest to run multiple leaves concurrently. Otherwise, employees could take advantage of multiple leave laws and take off more time than they need.