Am new on the job and have to tell my boss I need 3 wks off for surgery.....

I have my 90 day eval with my boss on Monday and hope all goes well cuz I have to tell her about my surgery tentatively scheduled for Aug 5. Two others in my dept have had surgery this summer so the boss is up to here with getting people to fill in. Your employer can't deny you the time off can they? I already put in for vacation that week when I first started in anticipation of this so she is prepared for me being gone at least a week but I know I will need at least 3 weeks off. How did it go for the rest of you who work in a tightly scheduled field? (I work in ER registration)

I've been worrying about the time i will be off soo much! I am the only one who can do MOST of what i do. I'm graphic designer for Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Mercury..and I'm also the administrative assistant for the collision center there. My boss and I run the entire bodyshop..opening and closing repair orders etc.. and dealing with ins. companies.. no one else knows the software... it's hell with me going to be gone for 2 days let alone 2 weeks! I told my boss that I am HOPING to be able to come back in 1 week for a couple hours in the afternoon to keep caught up.. and then part time for the second week.. but i told him i just dont know HOW im going to feel. I know im assuming ill be better than ill probably be.. but all my work is on the phone and on the computer.. i wouldn't have to hardly move. (hmmm..he'd have to wait on ME..kewlllllll ... im likin that idea tables turned and all...hehe. ~~~Dawn~~~

I can tell you this, My employer is large employs about 500 people total, therefore, we fall under the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act. In order to qualify for FML our employees have to be on the job one year. In that case, they can't deny us. WLS is covered under Family Medical Leave. My own department only has 12 people. We are the 911 center for the county. So, when someone is gone we have to cover the vacancy with overtime. I have had three people out for this surgery in the last 2 months. It has been very difficult to cover, but we are making it. I have two employees gone at this time and I am going the end of July. I waited to be sure that the other two would be back before I scheduled my surgery, but in reality, with Family Medical Leave I would not have had to. Check to see if your employer is covered for FML. If they are, they really can't deny you. At least that is the position our Human Rescource Department has taken. As the supervisor for my department,I did check because we really did not want the two employees gone at the same time. But HR said we had to let them off. Hope this helps and good luck.