Do you have a sick child, parent or spouse who needs you to care for them? Are you pregnant or did you recently give birth and need to stay home? Are you facing a serious health condition and can’t perform your job?
In any of these cases, you may qualify for medical leave. Employees in Ohio and throughout the country have a right to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year under the Family and Medical Leave Act, a law passed by Congress in 1993, if they meet certain conditions. If your employer refuses to let you take the time off or threatens to fire you or penalizes you, you may have grounds for a medical leave or FMLA claim.
Who is eligible for medical leave?
There are other requirements you should keep in mind if considering medical leave. You will need to have worked for your employer for at least 12 months and work for a company that employees at least 50 employees within 75 miles. In addition, you will need to have worked at least 1,250 hours for the company in the last 12 months prior to taking leave.
When you need an attorney for family medical leave
You have a right to take time off if you qualify for family and medical leave. Unfortunately, employers sometimes violate the law and deny the rights workers have under FMLA. They might retaliate against an employee for simply asking for time off. In some cases, they may fire an employee immediately or shortly after returning from leave. In other cases, they might treat an employee differently after requesting leave. These are signs that an employee’s rights might have been violated.
Don’t let your company push you around. You can level the playing field by hiring an experienced family medical leave lawyer.
If you feel your FMLA rights were violated or you have questions about family medical leave, contact Nilges Draher LLC today for a free consultation. Let us put our experience and resources to work for you.