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Articles Posted in Family and Medical Leave

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How did a plaintiff with no lawyer convince a federal appellate court that he had a viable FMLA claim?

The surprise will quickly disappear once I share the facts from this recent Third Circuit decision. The plaintiff was a patient representative with a local hospital. On January 3, 2014, he reported to work amid a snowstorm. After his shift ended, the plaintiff slipped and fell while searching for a…

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Here’s what happens when your managers don’t follow your written call-out policies

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, an employer can insist that employees comply with the company’s “usual and customary” absentee notice procedures. Often those call-out procedures are part of written leave and attendance policies. But, as one company found out the hard way, “usual and customary” absentee notice can…

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The plaintiff won her FMLA case. The court awarded her no money. The lawyers, however…

According to this recent Seventh Circuit’s opinion, “when [the plaintiff] returned from medical leave, her employer … did not allow her to return to her previous position as a lead teacher at her school. Instead, it placed her in a backwater position with fewer responsibilities that required her to split…

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New Jersey poster lamination companies are now cursing under their breath

New Jersey made it easier for employers to comply with displaying official posters from the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR). As of August 1, 2022, New Jersey employers have more ways to comply with posting requirements relating to the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) and Family Leave…

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I’ve got free educational resources for new mothers in the workplace (and their employers)

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a series of August events highlighting the importance of maternal health and workplace protections for expectant and new mothers to mark National Breastfeeding Month.  On Aug. 10, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EDT, the department’s Wage and Hour Division and Women’s Bureau and the U.S.…

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How to fire an employee right after his FMLA expires . . . and win the retaliation lawsuit.

Hey, don’t judge me. You’re just as heartless reading this as I am writing it. The Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible employees the right to take twelve weeks of job leave because of a serious health condition.” When his leave ends, an employer must reinstate an employee to…

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Does FMLA cover leave for abortion? What about in states where it’s illegal?

The ink was barely dry on the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization when the U.S. Department of Labor released a statement in which the agency confirmed that it would continue “empowering women using every tool” available. The DOL supports reproductive freedom. On Friday, U.S. Secretary of…

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Short of denying leave, an employer can still violate the FMLA just by discouraging someone from taking it

Two posts in one week about interference with Family and Medical Leave Act rights. The FMLA prohibits employers from interfering with, restraining, or denying the exercise of FMLA rights. On Wednesday, we discussed how an employer doesn’t interfere with FMLA when it does not provide FMLA leave to an employee…