The need for time off work can affect anyone. In some cases, Washington, D.C., area workers may need to take time off for a personal medical situation or one that affects an immediate family member. If a worker meets the qualifications, the Family and Medical Leave Act may allow those workers to take extended time off without the risk of losing their job. However, that does not always mean that employers will comply with the law.
It is possible for workers who take FMLA to face retaliation from their employers. This could be in extreme forms, such as being fired for taking leave, or in less extreme forms, such as having job duties taken away upon the employee’s return to the workplace. If a person believes that he or she has faced retaliation for taking approved leave, options for addressing the ordeal are available.
Some of the steps a concerned person could take include:
- Filing a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor
- Filing a civil lawsuit against the employer in efforts to seek compensation for damages
- Proving that the leave was protected under the FMLA
- Providing evidence of the harm suffered as a result of the retaliation
- Showing a causal connection between the protected leave and the retaliation
The Family and Medical Leave Act and the state and local equivalents can bring relief to qualifying workers who need extra time off from work. However, if an employer retaliates against the worker, then the worker may suffer economic or emotional damages. If Washington, D.C., metropolitan area workers believe that their employers did not follow the law under the FMLA, they may want to further explore their legal options.
