News & Analysis as of

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Termination Retaliation

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

FMLA abuse: 5 things this employer did right

How'd that happen? An employer who terminated an employee after he took intermittent FMLA leave for diabetes won its case, and recently won again on appeal. According to both courts, the employee appeared to be trying to...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

Don’t let a bad employee’s protected activity lead you into the twilight zone.

You are about to enter another dimension. A journey into the world of discrimination and retaliation. Consider, if you will, the case of an employee who suspects that he or she is about to be fired or demoted for misconduct...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

FMLA Doesn’t Shield Employee From Dismissal Due to Misconduct Prior to Leave Request, District Court Rules

On April 29, 2024, in McBeath v. City of Indianapolis, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana granted summary judgment in favor of the City of Indianapolis on a plaintiff’s claims for Family and Medical...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

Want to fire your employee for FMLA fraud?

Don't shoot from the hip. Let's say you have an employee who is in Week Six of "employee's own serious health condition" leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Her co-worker comes to you and tells you that the...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Eleventh Circuit Holds FMLA Retaliation Requires “But-for” Showing

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

Seyfarth Synopsis: The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court’s decision that “but-for” is the proper causation standard for FMLA retaliation claims addressed within the...more

Goldberg Segalla

Employee Protection Limited for ADA and FMLA Discrimination and Retaliation Claims

Goldberg Segalla on

Key Takeaways - Resolved medical conditions and COVID-19 symptoms — aside from “Long COVID” — may not be considered “disabilities” under the ADA. A seven-week period between employee engagement in protected activity and an...more

Genova Burns LLC

NJ District Court Upholds Employee Termination After FMLA Leave

Genova Burns LLC on

On March 31, 2023, in LeBlanc v. Thomas Jefferson University, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey granted an employer’s motion for summary judgment, dismissing a former’s employee’s allegations of...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

Request for "FMLA leave" is protected activity, court says

Even if the employee doesn't qualify. Picture this. You ask your boss whether you can take leave under the FMLA. Your boss asks why you want the leave, and you say your cat is sick.* It's your favorite cat. Your boss...more

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Sixth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of FMLA Action

Reversing summary judgment in favor of an employer in a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) action, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held that an employee was not required to provide details each...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Fourth Circuit Reinstates Employee’s Claim That Social Media App Messages Provided Sufficient Notice of a Medical Absence

On August 15, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held in Roberts v. Gestamp West Virginia, LLC, that an employer’s “usual and customary” notice procedures relating to absences extended beyond the company’s...more

Amundsen Davis LLC

Employers Must Tread Carefully In FMLA Request Discussions To Avoid FMLA Interference Claims

Amundsen Davis LLC on

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides employees essentially two paths to bring lawsuits for alleged FMLA violations: retaliation claims and interference claims....more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Federal Court: Employee’s Self-Serving Testimony and Discovery Responses Did Not Satisfy Burden of Proof on Summary Judgment

In Buckmaster v. The National Railroad Passenger Corp. d/b/a Amtrak, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland addressed whether an employee had offered any evidence of discrimination or retaliation beyond his own...more

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Seventh Circuit Signs Off on Termination After FMLA Leave

An employer with documented evidence of performance issues before an employee took leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) did not run afoul of the statute when it terminated the employee upon her return, the...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Employee’s Poor Performance Trumps FMLA Claim

On March 9, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued an employer-friendly decision in Anderson v. Nations Lending Corporation. Despite some facially bad facts - including that the employee was discharged...more

Rivkin Radler LLP

The Employment Law Reporter - January 2022

Rivkin Radler LLP on

Here is what we cover in this issue of The Employment Law Reporter: •The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has affirmed a district court’s decision dismissing employment discrimination claims brought by a...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Consistently Inconsistent: An Example of Shifting Reasons for Employment Termination Precluding Summary Judgment

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas recently denied an employer’s motion for summary judgment when its alleged shifting reasons for terminating the plaintiff’s employment contract raised genuine issues...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Texas Supreme Court Rules Request for Disability Accommodation Does Not Support Retaliation Claim Under State Law

Texas courts generally look to federal courts’ interpretation of federal anti-discrimination laws to assist in interpreting the anti-discrimination provisions of the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (TCHRA). However, the...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

The Insidious Deception That Is "Employment At Will"

Employers, don't get played. "This is an employment-at-will state, and I can fire you for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all." Oh, yeah?... ...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Federal District Court Order Provides Guidance Related to Disciplining Employees Who Abuse Leaves of Absence

On February 5, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware granted summary judgment in Snyder v. E.I. DuPont de Nemours, Inc. and Company, No. 18-1266, holding that DuPont did not terminate the employment of...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

Employee "Refuses To Sign." Now what?

Should the employer force the issue? You Human Resources professionals are familiar with this scenario. You are present while a supervisor is disciplining an employee. The supervisor has a write-up, pre-approved by you, and...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

No Magic Words Needed In Employee Requests For Leave That Might Be Protected By FMLA

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

A terminated employee may proceed with his Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) retaliation claim even though he never specifically requested leave under that statute, a Maine federal court has ruled. Waterman v. Paul G. White...more

Burns & Levinson LLP

Vacationing While on FMLA Leave Is Not Grounds For Termination

Burns & Levinson LLP on

Imagine, an employee in your organization advises that they need to take leave pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act to recover from an upcoming surgical procedure. Your organization approves the leave and then you...more

BCLP

When Employee’s Trip to the Beach May NOT Support A Suspicion of FMLA Fraud

BCLP on

Employers are not obligated to tolerate employee misuse of FMLA leave.  Examples abound in which an employer learns – often through an employee’s social media posts or through information from an employee’s co-workers – that...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Employer’s Additional Notice Requirement For Requesting FMLA Leave Dooms Attempt To Dismiss Employee’s Interference Claims

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

Employees who take FMLA leave may be required to comply with the employer’s usual and customary notice and procedural requirements for requesting leave. If the employee does not follow these requirements, the employer may...more

Baker Donelson

Million Dollar Messaging Mistakes & FMLA Retaliation

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A recent decision from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the highest court of Massachusetts, emphasizes the dangers to employers of taking employment actions based on outrage rather than reason. ...more

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