FMLA and Other Leaves of Absence

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By:       Lizbeth V. West, Esq.

Robert v. Board of County Commissioners of Brown County, Kansas, et. al. (10th Cir. Aug. 29, 2012) No. 11-3902

The job description for Robert’s job as a supervisor of felony offenders included 18 “essential functions.”   Some of those included functions like performing drug screenings, ensuring compliance with court orders, testifying in court, and “field work,” which consisted of visiting the homes of individuals who had been released from prison to assist them in their reentry into society. The job required “considerable fieldwork . . . throughout the 22nd Judicial District," "visits in less than desirable environments," and "potentially dangerous situations in field/office contacts."Continue Reading Is Leave Required As An Accommodation If It Is Unclear If The Employee Will Be Able To Perform The Job In The Near Future?

By:       Chelcey E. Lieber

Question:  An employee is out on FMLA leave to care for her newborn baby.  Before her leave ends, she notifies her employer that she actually does not intend to return to work.  Does the employee still have any restoration rights?  Can the employer recover any health care premiums they paid during the employee’s FMLA leave?Continue Reading FAQ: What Should An Employer Do When an Employee on FMLA Leave Says They Will Not be Returning to Work?

By: Chelcey E. Lieber

Attendance at work seems like an obvious requirement to keep a job, right? The unfortunate answer often given by lawyers to that question is, “it depends.” In the employee-friendly state of California, permitting telecommuting or exemptions to an attendance policy may be a reasonable accommodation if a person has a disability. However, recently, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed that predictable attendance can be an essential function of certain jobs; in this case, the job of a neo-natal intensive care unit (“NICU”) nurse.Continue Reading Is Compliance with an Attendance Policy an Essential Function of the Job? The Ninth Circuit says “Yes!”

By:       Lizbeth (“Beth”) West, Esq.

Governor Brown signed a significant number of bills into law during the 2011/12 legislative term, many of which will have a direct impact on almost every California employer, regardless of size. Many laws impose new obligations on employers and prevent employers from engaging in what they may otherwise thought was previously permissible. Below is a summary of the employment-related legislation that goes into effect on January 1, 2012 (except where noted).Continue Reading 2012 Brings A Whole New Set Of Obligations And Challenges For California Employers – Failure To Comply Could Be Devastating

By: Brendan J. Begley

A supervisor’s failure to return calls from an employee on family or medical leave may support a retaliation claim against an employer under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”).  Liability under such circumstances can exist, a federal court in Pennsylvania recently ruled, even if the employer has provided the employee with an appropriate amount of leave.  Although from a distant locale and as yet untested by an appellate court, the decision from the court in Pennsylvania confirms that employers in the Golden State should strive to keep open the lines of communication with and to return calls from employees who are on family or medical leave – especially since there is so much overlap between the FMLA and the California Family Rights Act.

The employee in the Pennsylvania case, Hofferica v. St. Mary Medical Center, No. 10-6026 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 20, 2011), was a registered nurse who started working for the employer in June 2005.  Her doctor diagnosed her with a disease that causes hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo in March 2008.  Shortly after that diagnosis, the nurse applied for a year of intermittent medical leave, which the employer pre-approved.  The nurse had to undergo a series of surgeries to treat her condition, which led her to take full-blown medical leave starting in September 2008.  Her anticipated return-to-work date was November 6, 2008.Continue Reading Refusing to Return Calls from Employees on Leave is a Risky Practice for Employers