How to Fax FMLA Certification to HR
Updated October 2026
HR asked for your FMLA certification, your doctor filled it out, and now you have to get it to your employer before the deadline. You can fax it to HR for $1.00, using the fax number your employer gives you.
It does not go to the Department of Labor. The form itself says so. This guide covers the 15-day deadline, which form you have, where it goes, and what to put on each page.
Quick answer: Fax the completed WH-380-E or WH-380-F only to the HR or leave administrator fax number your employer gives you. You must provide it within 15 calendar days after your employer asks, unless that is not practicable despite your diligent, good faith efforts. Never send it to the Department of Labor. It costs $1.00 for up to 10 pages.
In this guide
Where to Fax FMLA Certification
To your employer, at the HR or leave administrator fax number your employer gives you. That is the only correct destination. Some employers handle leave in house; others use an outside leave administrator. The request you got from HR should say who, and if it does not, ask.
The Department of Labor's form WH-380-E says it in capital letters: "DO NOT SEND COMPLETED FORM TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. RETURN TO THE PATIENT." Your health care provider fills it out and gives it back to you. You then give it to your employer. A certification faxed to the Department of Labor does not reach HR.
The 15 Calendar Day Deadline
Under 29 CFR 825.305, you must provide the requested certification to your employer within 15 calendar days after your employer asks for it. Calendar days means weekends count.
The only exception is when it is not practicable to meet that deadline despite your diligent, good faith efforts, for example when you have been chasing the doctor's office and the form is still not done. If that is happening, tell HR in writing before day 15 and keep a copy. Our medical records by fax guide covers getting paperwork out of a provider's office.
WH-380-E or WH-380-F: Which One You Have
- WH-380-E is the certification for your own serious health condition.
- WH-380-F is the family member version, for leave to care for a family member.
Return the form HR gave you. Send every page, including pages the provider left blank, so HR does not come back asking for the rest.
What to Put on the Cover Page and Each Page
The cover page should say: "FMLA certification," which form it is (WH-380-E or WH-380-F), your full name, your employee ID if you have one, the date HR asked for it, your phone number, and the page count. Mark it "Confidential: for HR or leave administrator only."
Write your name and employee ID at the top of each page. Check that the provider signed and dated the form before you scan it. A certification plus a cover page is usually well under 10 pages, so it costs $1.00. Up to 10 pages is $1.00, 11 to 25 pages is $1.99, and 26 to 50 pages is $2.99.
A note on privacy: FaxForADollar is not HIPAA compliant and does not offer a BAA. You are a patient sending your own form to your own employer, and patients sending their own forms are not covered entities. If you are a health care provider sending on a patient's behalf, use your practice's own system.
How to Send It for $1.00
- Scan or photograph every page of the completed certification into one PDF with your cover page.
- Go to FaxForADollar.com and upload the file.
- Type the 10-digit HR fax number, area code first. The +1 is already added, so do not type a leading 1.
- Pay $1.00. No account and nothing to cancel.
It is usually delivered within a few minutes. Nothing is printed on your document. You get a confirmation email with the destination number, page count and time (Eastern Time). That email is your record of exactly when you sent it; forward it to yourself and keep it until your leave is approved. If the fax fails, the money goes back to your card automatically.
If HR wants to fax you anything back, our sister service GetAFax.com gives you a US fax number for 24 hours for $5, up to 30 pages, with faxes arriving in your email.
Related Leave and Benefits Paperwork
If your condition is work related, see our workers' comp guide. If you need to send your own medical records elsewhere, see our medical documents guide. If your job ends while you are on leave, our COBRA election guide covers keeping your health coverage.
No scanner at home? Our iPhone guide and Android guide show how to fax straight from your phone.
Why send it here
One dollar for up to 10 pages to any US or Canada number, shown before you pay, nothing added at checkout.
Nothing is printed on your document. It arrives exactly as you uploaded it.
If it cannot be delivered, the money goes back to your card without you asking.
No account, no subscription, nothing that renews. Send once and you are done.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fax FMLA certification to HR?
Do I need an account to fax my FMLA forms to my employer?
my HR lady says the FMLA form is due Friday, can I just fax it from my phone?
Can my doctor fax the FMLA certification straight to my HR?
Do I send the WH-380-E to the Department of Labor?
What is the difference between WH-380-E and WH-380-F?
Should I fax every page of the WH-380-E, even the blank ones?
What is the fax number to send FMLA paperwork?
Do I type a 1 before my HR fax number for the FMLA form?
What should the cover page say when I fax FMLA certification?
Can HR fax me back about my FMLA certification?
How do I show HR I sent my FMLA certification on time?
Does FaxForADollar sign a HIPAA BAA for faxing FMLA forms?
What if my FMLA fax to HR does not go through?
Will anything be printed on my FMLA certification when it arrives?
How many days do I have to return FMLA certification?
My doctor will not have my FMLA form done in 15 days, what do I do?
Do weekends count in the FMLA 15 day deadline?
Can my spouse fax my FMLA certification to HR for me?
Can I fax FMLA certification for caring for my mom?
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