Jaszczyszyn v. Advantage Health Physician Network, (6th Cir. Nov 7, 2012) involves three seemingly-unrelated topics: social media, Polish festivals, and the honest belief defense to FMLA claims. When combined, however, they turn into a fun set of facts that the Sixth Circuit recently got to chew on.
Continue Reading Anything You Post or Are Tagged in on Facebook Will Be Used Against You: The Sixth Circuit Upholds Honest Belief Defense to Employee’s FMLA Retaliation Claim Who Went on a Pub Crawl While on Leave, But Skirts Issue As Applied to FMLA Interference Claims

The Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) requires an employer to restore an eligible employee who takes FMLA to the position the employee held when the FMLA leave commenced or to an equivalent position. Most cautious employers take this to mean that they cannot terminate an employee on the day he or she returns from FMLA leave; however, in Winterhalter v. Dykhuis Farms, Inc., Case No. 11-1743 (6th Cir. July 23, 2012), the Sixth Circuit allowed an employer to do just that under certain circumstances.
Continue Reading Sixth Circuit: FMLA Does Not Preclude Terminating an Employee the Day He Returns from Leave

The recent decision out of Texas in Sechler v. Modular Space Corporation highlights a recurring issue for employers — managing employees who return to work following rehabilitation for substance abuse.
Continue Reading Texas Federal Court Decision Addresses ADA and FMLA Issues Arising From Employee’s Return From Alcohol Rehab

Employers often defend against discrimination and retaliation claims by arguing that courts should not act like super human resources managers who second guess their employment decisions. A panel of the Sixth Circuit took that argument to heart in its May 8th decision in Seeger v. Cincinnati Bell Telephone Co., in which the court upheld summary judgment in favor of the employer on the ground that the employer had an “honest belief” that the plaintiff had engaged in disability fraud.

Tom Seeger was on FMLA leave for aback injury when he was spotted at the Cincinnati Oktoberfest by several of his co-workers. One of the employees contacted human resources to say at Seeger was able to walk 50 to 75 feet, seemingly unimpaired. During the employer’s investigation, however, others remarked that Seeger seemed to to be in pain. The employer’s investigation investigation also included an interview of Seeger and a review of his medical records, disability file and employment history. Seeger was suspended and was given an opportunity to submit a statement as well as a statement from his physician. After considering all of this information, the employer decided that Seeger’s activity at Oktoberfest was inconsistent with his claimed disability and terminated him for disability fraud.

Seeger filed suit for interference with his FMLA rights and for retaliation in violation of the FMLA. With respect to the interference claim, the court concluded that Seeger had been given all of the FMLA leave he had requested since he had actually returned to full duty during the course of the investigation. With respect to the retaliation claim, the court noted the closeness in time between the FMLA leave and the termination, but concluded that CBT made a “reasonably informed and considered decision” before it terminated Seeger, and that Seeger has failed to show that CBT’s decision-making process was unworthy of credence.Continue Reading Sixth Circuit Rejects FMLA Retaliation Claim Based On Employer’s Honest Belief That Employee Had Committed Fraud

The FMLA is a confusing topic for employers and human resource professionals. Many times, the mere mention of the letters "F" "M" "L" "A" out of an employee’s mouth are enough for the employer to grant the employee leave, no more questions asked.

This is why two recent Ohio federal district court opinions are helpful

Proposed Regulations:
Yesterday, the Department of Labor published its proposed regulations (pdf) to address the recently enacted changes to military leave and eligibility requirements for flight crew members. Beyond the changes detailed below, the DOL clarified that employers are not required to provide employees with FMLA-protected military caregiver leave for the "serious injury or illness of

Last month, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (which has jurisdiction over Florida, Georgia and Alabama) held that a pregnant employee, who provided several months notice to her employer of her intention to take leave upon the birth of her child, was protected under the Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") despite the fact that at the time she provided the notice, she was not eligible for FMLA. In short, the court held that the FMLA protected employees who make pre-eligibility requests for post-eligibility leave from both interference with the leave and from retaliation.

Appellant Kathryn Pereda ("Pereda") began working for Brookdale Senior Living Communities, Inc. on October 5, 2008. In June of 2009, Pereda advised Brookdale of her pregnancy and that she would be requesting FMLA leave around November 30, 2009, after the birth of her child.

Pereda alleges everything changed after she announced her pregnancy. First, she was no longer considered one of the top employees at Brookdale. Second, Brookdale began harassing her, causing stress and complications in her pregnancy. Third, Brookdale’s management placed her on a performance improvement plan with unattainable goals. Lastly, Pereda alleges that although she was eligible for sick and personal leave and was told she could use that time for doctor’s visits, management wrote her up for taking leave time to visit the doctor.

In August of 2009, Pereda took a few days off, and notified Brookdale management of her absence via email. When she returned to work she was written up for failure to obtain verbal authorization for her absence.

In September 2009, Pereda’s physician placed her on bed rest. Pereda left a phone message with the executive director, but did not receive a return call. Pereda was unable to reach someone at Brookdale until several days later, at which time she was fired.

Pereda filed a Complaint against Brookdale on May 11, 2010, asserting that "Brookdale interfered with her FMLA rights, insofar as Brookdale denied her benefits under the FMLA to which she was entitled, and terminated her for attempting to exercise those rights."Continue Reading Notice of Intent to Take FMLA Leave May Just Be Enough

We have been receiving questions lately from clients and friends regarding the continued validity of the Department of Labor’s FMLA forms that we posted here. The Department has requested approval for the renewal of these forms from the federal Office of Management and Budget. In the meantime, employers may continue to use these forms.