Is certification required to designate leave as FMLA-qualifying?

Q: My question is regarding FMLA. It has two parts: 1) We have exempt employees who believe they do not fall under the FMLA guidelines. They believe they don't need to complete the forms because they get paid the same amount whether they work or not. If we designate FMLA, and the exempt employee is out for more than the 12 weeks, what happens then? 2) You've previously indicated that employers can designate FMLA leave to an employee if they know the employee is out for medical reasons. I am wondering if a medical certification is not needed for this designation. – Vaunette