News & Analysis as of

Summary Judgment Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Employer Liability Issues

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Mullin v. VA: Reiterating The Importance Of Employer Confidentiality Obligations Around Medical Information

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

The Eleventh Circuit’s decision in Mullin v. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs clarifies that confidentiality protections around medical certifications are robust and enforceable, even absent viable accommodation or...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

Employer seeking "Kens and Barbies" must face trial on bias claims

Sheesh. I would think so! Here's a story for you: Some investors bought an apartment complex in Houston with the plan to fix it up and flip it. They decided the Property Manager wasn't doing a good job, so they fired her...more

Butler Snow LLP

6th Circuit Reinstates Failure-to-Accommodate Claim Against Employer That Terminated Employee With Outstanding Leave Request

Butler Snow LLP on

Once an employee requests an accommodation, the employer has a duty to engage in an “interactive process” to try to determine whether the employer can accommodate the employee’s disability...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

Seventh Circuit Decision Reminds Employers Not to Discourage FMLA Leave

Foley & Lardner LLP on

Picture this: A long-time employee with serious health conditions regularly uses Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave each year. In some years, the employee uses only 10 hours of leave per year; in others, he uses hundreds...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

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Paying Workers' Compensation Benefits Does Not Absolve Employer of FMLA Obligations

Many employers that attempt to manage workers’ compensation claims and expenses offer temporary light duty work to employees whose injuries prevent them from performing their regular job functions. The Department of Labor has...more

Fisher Phillips

Federal Court Decision Highlights Efficient And Effective Ways To Address Suspected FMLA Misuse

Fisher Phillips on

A recent decision by a New Jersey federal court highlights the importance of thoroughly investigating allegations of suspected Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) misuse before taking action against an employee. The decision...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Whew! Fifth Circuit Reinforces Importance of Documenting Performance Issues

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

Seyfarth Synopsis: In affirming summary judgment in favor of the defendant in an Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) interference and retaliation case, the Fifth Circuit reinforced the importance of documenting performance...more

Rumberger | Kirk

No Longer A Mess: En Banc Eleventh Circuit Clarifies the Standard for Similarly Situated Comparators

Rumberger | Kirk on

Last month, the en banc Eleventh Circuit clarified the appropriate standard for analyzing “similarly situated” comparator evidence in Title VII intentional-discrimination cases. Lewis v. City of Union City, Ga., --- F.3d...more

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

I Hate My Boss: Sixth Circuit Shuts Down ADA Request for Less Stressful Boss

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently reminded employers that, even under the more liberal standard for establishing a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), an employee who...more

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

Eleventh Circuit Opinion Clarifies Definition of ‘Similarly Situated’ Comparators

On March 21, 2019, finding in favor of an employer seeking summary judgment, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, in Lewis v. City of Union City, clarified the definition of “similarly situated” comparators for...more

Littler

Sixth Circuit Rejects Argument that Full-Time Job Requires Full-Time Hours in ADA Failure to Accommodate Case

Littler on

Holding that full-time presence at the workplace is not always an essential job function, on July 17, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed summary judgment in favor of the employer in an Americans...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Point for the (Work from) Home Team? Sixth Circuit Says Attendance at Work Not Automatically an Essential Work Function

“You have to show up for work—it’s a part of your job.” Attendance at the workplace is an essential work function in an ADA case. But is it really anymore? With technology, some would argue that many jobs can be done from...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Employer’s FMLA Policy And Legitimate Business Reason Lead To Early Dismissal Of Employee’s Claim

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

In Everson v. SCI Tennessee Funeral Services, LLC., the federal court granted summary judgment dismissing Plaintiff’s FMLA claims because the worker failed to follow Defendant’s FMLA notice requirements when requesting...more

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP

Is Employee Out of Commission? Not So Fast, Says Appellate Court

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP on

When an employer changes its contract with an employee, the change should be communicated clearly—and preferably, in writing. Otherwise, the employer may be at risk of finding that the old terms still control. For example,...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Seventh Circuit Provides Clarity on Leaves of Absence and the ADA

Holland & Knight LLP on

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently held that an employer's refusal to offer an employee a two- or three-month medical leave of absence following his exhaustion of his Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

For Any Lawful Reason: Firing an at-will employee under dubious circumstances need not lead to liability if the reason for the...

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on

A recent decision from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals highlights the distinction between firing an employee for personal or politically expedient reasons (which may be entirely legal) and firing an employee because of his...more

BCLP

ADA Does Not Require Employers to Provide Multi-Month Leave Beyond Expiration of FMLA Leave – Seventh Circuit

BCLP on

This week the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision helpful to employers grappling with whether they must extend an employee’s time off following the expiration of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave as a...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

11th Circuit Reminds Employers: Proceed Cautiously When Terminating Employees Shortly After FMLA Leave

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

Seyfarth Synopsis: While employees who have recently taken leave may be terminated for legitimate reasons, establishing a non-retaliatory termination can be challenging. The timing of the termination alone can support...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Fourth Circuit Says Failure to Advise Employee of Leave Reinstatement Interfered with FMLA Rights

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2002 Ragsdale decision rejected Department of Labor regulations stating that failure to provide employees with notice of leave rights was a per se violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act....more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Terminating Employee on Day After Return From FMLA Leave Not Good Idea

In some situations, employees taking Family and Medical Leave were on shaky grounds with regard to their continuing employment prior to the absence. The employer then moves to terminate the employee either while he remains on...more

Mintz - Employment, Labor & Benefits...

Employer Win in California – Say What??? Stress From Working Under Particular Supervisor is Not a Disability

Over the course of a career many workers experience the displeasure of dealing with a difficult supervisor — the type of individual whose mere presence in the workplace is a source of dread and whose name inspires feelings of...more

BakerHostetler

No Return Date, No Problem: Seventh Circuit Reverses FMLA Summary Judgment for Employer

BakerHostetler on

On June 24, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that an employee did not forfeit her right to leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) to care for her seriously ill adult daughter by...more

24 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 1

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide