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McBrayer Blogs

Showing 28 posts in Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”).

Hair Trigger: When are Employee Notice Provisions Triggered under the FMLA?

Posted In Employment Law, Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”)

It can be hard to know when an employee is invoking rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). Every employer wants FMLA-requested leave to come in the form of 30 days advance notice, filed in the appropriate manner pursuant to company policy. However, a triggering event for FMLA leave can come from something as simple as an employee asking for a day off for medical reasons. It’s important to understand what the FMLA requires of employers in that instance to fulfill their responsibilities. More >

DOL Proposes New Meaning for “Spouse” for FMLA Purposes

On June 20, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) proposed regulations to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act’s (“FMLA”) definition of “spouse.” Current FMLA regulations define a spouse as “a husband or wife defined or recognized under State law for purposes of marriage in the state where the employee resides, including common law marriage in States where it is recognized.” (emphasis added). The DOL is proposing to move from a “state of residence” rule to a rule based on the “place of celebration” (i.e., where the marriage was entered into). The proposed definition specifically includes same-sex marriages and reads as follows: More >

Detecting FMLA Abuse

Posted In Adverse Employment Action, Employee Benefits, Employment Law, Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), Human Resource Department, Litigation

Dealing with employees who abuse FMLA can be difficult. Letting abuse run rampant, however, can impact business productivity and put a damper on company morale (as present employees often have to pick up the slack of someone on leave). Employers who detect abuse must proceed with caution because it is very easy to run afoul of regulations. More >

Curbing FMLA Abuse

The Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) permits eligible employees to take up to 12 work weeks of leave during a 12-month period if a serious health condition makes the employee unable to perform the functions of his or her position. When an employer suspects that an employee is abusing the FMLA leave, employers may feel caught in a classic Catch-22. They can ignore the abuse and operate with a reduced workforce, or subject themselves to an interference or defamation suit if they decide to challenge or confront the employee about the questionable leave. More >

Varying Maternity Leave Policies, cont.

On Monday, it was discussed that it is typically acceptable to offer different maternity leave benefits for employees at separate employer locations (such as a corporate office versus store locations). Further, it was noted that it is generally acceptable to have varying policies amongst employees, so far as the policies are applied within the parameters of the law (i.e., not discriminatory). More >

Varying Maternity Leave Policies

Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment Law, Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), Maternity Leave

Recently, our firm was asked if it were permissible for a company to have separate maternity policies for a corporate office from that of a store location.  The concern was of course that a claim of discrimination would be made if different policies were used, and it was right for the question to be asked.  However, what may be surprising is that there is no requirement that employees at different company locations all be offered the same benefits. In fact, it is common for employees in a corporate office to receive different employment packages than those at other locations, such as the company’s retail store or restaurant. In fact, an employer does not have to have the same policies for all employees in the same location in many instances. The key is that a policy not have an adverse impact on any protected groups or result in unintentional discrimination. More >

You Can’t Take It With You When You Go – Requiring Employees To Use PTO

Posted In Berrier v. Bizer, Employee Benefits, Employment Law, Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), Paid Time Off ("PTO")

Contrary to what many employees think, paid time off (“PTO”) is not a protected right. Instead, it is a matter of agreement between an employer and employee. There are times when employees may prefer to take unpaid leave so that they can accrue their PTO, but employers can determine whether this practice is permissible. It is lawful for employers to require that employees exhaust unused PTO time before taking unpaid time away from work. More >

Employee Benefits in the Wake of Windsor

On June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. Windsor, declared unconstitutional Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), which had prohibited the federal government from acknowledging marriages between same-sex couples. At the time of the ruling, same-sex marriages were recognized in 12 states and the District of Columbia. The decision does not require states to recognize same-sex marriages; Kentucky is among the states that do not. However, that does not mean that Kentuckians, specifically Kentucky employers, are insulated from the effects of this decision. More >

Employers Win In Recent 6th Circuit Pregnancy Wrongful Termination Claims

As has been addressed previously in this blog, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has placed an emphasis on pursuing complaints of pregnancy discrimination as announced in its Strategic Enforcement Plan (see the post here).  Recently the EEOC and the plaintiffs’ bar have filed cases at an increased rate against employers who have allegedly discriminated against pregnant women in the workplace.  It goes without saying that such suits can be costly to defend and to ultimately pay if they are successful. More >

Have You Posted the New FMLA Notice?

Posted In Department of Labor ("DOL"), Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), posting requirements

On behalf of McBrayer PLLC More >

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