A transit agency thought it had a clear-cut reason to fire an employee under its no-fault attendance policy. But a disputed call-out, followed by a retroactive FMLA approval, now means a jury gets to decide whether the termination was lawful. Continue reading
“He filled out the doctor’s section himself.” Sounds like fraud, right? Maybe. But if you fire someone on that hunch without following the FMLA’s rules, you could be the one in legal trouble. Continue reading
She left work early during her pregnancy—with her supervisor’s okay. Seven years later, the court said she may have had every legal right to do so. Continue reading
On Monday, June 2, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the relaunch and expansion of its opinion letter program. This move reinstates a valuable compliance tool for employers, particularly those navigating complex wage-and-hour for Family and Medical Leave Act regulations. Continue reading
If two employees are married and work for the same company, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) lets their employer cap their combined leave at 12 weeks. A new bill in Congress proposes to eliminate that restriction. Continue reading
A pair of lawmakers from opposite sides of the aisle just dropped one of the most ambitious paid leave proposals in years. It won’t create a national mandate—but it could reshape the paid leave landscape for employers across the country. Continue reading
When employees stretch their FMLA leave beyond what’s certified, courts look closely at how employers respond. A recent case shows how solid documentation and a clear-eyed review of the facts can support a defensible termination.
A recent court decision serves as a stark reminder for employers: When employees take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave, they should not be pressured to work or penalized for their absence. Continue reading
Suppose an employer learns that an employee who claimed a serious health condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) faked his injury to take time off for personal business. What steps can the employer take without violating the FMLA? Continue reading
This week, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued an opinion about substituting paid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) when employees take leave under state-paid family leave programs.
I’ll break it down for you. Continue reading
The Employer Handbook Blog