Retaliation for Taking Paid Family Leave for Extreme Anxiety
Anne worked for a large Boston hospital for many years. During the pandemic, she was subjected to repeated pressure and harassment by a supervisor, and began to develop symptoms of extreme anxiety, including panic attacks.
She took leave under the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave Act ("PFMLA"), and provided all of the necessary documentation to her employer. During her leave, she was told that her supervisor wanted to post the position, and received copies of emails from co-workers showing that they were already being told she was no longer with the program. This was all confirmed when she was told, the day before her scheduled return, not to report to work, causing her to remain on leave, now unpaid, despite being medically cleared to return. Family Medical Leave Law SolutionAnne's leave was protected under the PFMLA, which prohibits any negative employment action against an employee for taking protected leave.
We reviewed Anne's file and situation and drafted a demand letter to the hospital. We were able to reach a settlement for Anne without needing to file a public complaint in court, or requiring her to go through litigation. PostscriptIf you are in a similar situation, remember that you are protected under the PFMLA regardless of the size of your employer. You should also know that if you are terminated, demoted, or subject to other adverse employment action within six months of taking a leave, the law presumes that the intent was retaliatory.
|
Need Help With Family Medical Leave Issue?OR
Just Looking for Information?
|
How We Can Help
|
|
|
We have years of experience representing people with claims arising under Massachusetts and federal family medical leave laws, and we would be happy to help you. You can use the button below to schedule a call back from a member of our team, or give us a call at 781-784-2322.
