• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

FMLA

Substandard work before FMLA leave? Beware retaliation suit for later poor reviews

10/08/2015

Don’t think that just because an employee was a poor performer before she requested FMLA leave, a poor review after the request can’t be retaliation. If there is other evidence of retaliation (like a direct statement that FMLA leave was a factor), then the previous poor performance won’t be much of a defense.

Negative comments about FMLA use? Call your lawyer because you will be sued

09/30/2015
Now is a good time to remind supervisors that making negative comments about FMLA usage can end in litigation. That’s because telling employees that taking time off makes it hard for co-workers who have to pick up the slack can chill further use of FMLA leave, discouraging employees from using time off they are legally entitled to.

Scrub unnecessary FMLA references from handbook

09/29/2015
When an employer has an office with fewer than 50 employees within 75 miles of that location, those workers aren’t covered by the FMLA. Make sure you don’t inadvertently give them the impression that they are.

Employers must notify employees of their FMLA rights

09/28/2015
HR professionals consistently rate FMLA administration as one of their most difficult tasks. New court decisions constantly affect the FMLA landscape.

Another reason to handle with care after FMLA: Bosses could be held personally liable

09/21/2015

FMLA leave is an entitlement and interfering with that leave or punishing a leave taker will backfire. It may even mean personal liability for a manager who decides to punish an employee with an adverse action like termination or demotion.

Lawsuit guarantee: Fire the day FMLA eligibility starts

09/18/2015
Employees who have worked for at least one year and put in at least 1,250 hours are eligible for FMLA leave if they work for a covered employer. Expect a lawsuit if, on her one-year anniversary, you fire an employee who has requested FMLA.

Can employee take intermittent FMLA leave to attend her child’s sporting events?

09/14/2015
Q. An employee’s daughter has diabetes and the employee has intermittent leave to provide assistance and care for her. The employee is now using FMLA leave to attend her daughter’s field hockey games and practices, claiming she needs to be there in case of diabetic complications during athletic events. The health care certification that we received in connection with this FMLA leave request does refer to a need to provide care during “flare ups.” Do we have to continue to permit the mother to attend the games and practices as intermittent FMLA leave?

Lower pay on FMLA return? That’s an automatic violation

09/10/2015

Employees who take FMLA leave are entitled to the same or an equivalent job when they return. That means that the job must be virtually identical in all aspects, including pay. If you change the pay, the reason is irrelevant—it’s an FMLA violation.

Employee out on FMLA leave: OK to contact for info on urgent matters

09/10/2015
Employers aren’t allowed to pester employees to work during FMLA leave. Requiring the employee to work from home to complete assignments, for example, may amount to interference with the right to take FMLA leave. But not every contact or request is enough to support a lawsuit.

FMLA or ADA request? Don’t let that derail legitimate discipline or termination decisions

09/10/2015

Firing someone right after she requests FMLA leave or an ADA accommodation can often trigger a lawsuit. But timing close alone won’t sink your chances of winning—as long as you have a valid business reason for discharging the employee that is unrelated to illness or disability.