Helping Ohio Employees Assert Their Rights Under the FMLA
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was established to protect American families when planned and unplanned medical situations require members of the family to take time off. Employees who are covered by the FMLA are entitled to leave in the following situations:
- Due to their own "serious health condition" that renders them temporarily unable to perform their job duties
- To care for a child, spouse or parent with a serious health condition
- To care for a returning member of the Armed Forces under certain circumstances
- Due to a qualifying emergency as a result of a child, spouse or parent currently serving in the Armed Forces
- Due to pregnancy, childbirth or adoption
Determining whether one of these events has occurred is a complex legal question that requires attention from an experienced lawyer. Our Cleveland Family and Medical Leave Act attorneys at Bolek Besser Glesius LLC, are highly familiar with these issues.
Understanding Your Rights to Family and Medical Leave
Employees covered by the FMLA are those who have experienced one of the qualifying events and have worked more than 1,250 hours for the employer over the past 12 months, provided that the employer employs 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius.
If an employee is covered, the FMLA allows the employee to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave from work. The FMLA prohibits employers from interfering with the employee's ability to take FMLA leave. It also forbids employers from firing, demoting, or otherwise retaliating against an employee because the employee has requested or taken FMLA leave.
When leave is granted by the employer, it can be taken all at once, or it can be taken in smaller increments of time, known as intermittent leave. Once an employee has taken FMLA leave, employers are allowed to calculate the remaining amount of leave in several different ways. Making those calculations can be confusing for employees, who must rely on what they are told by the employer about their FMLA rights.
FMLA Violation Lawyers · Akron, Lorain, Medina
The FMLA contains some difficult twists and turns for employees to navigate. The attorneys at our firm have helped many employees through the process, and where necessary, we have successfully sued on behalf of employees whose FMLA rights have been violated and those who have suffered FMLA discrimination and retaliation.
If you feel your rights under the FMLA have been violated, e-mail us or call us at 216-245-4216 or toll free at 888-389-5955 for a free consultation.
