Q: I was fired for calling out for a family medical emergency do I have a legal recourse?
I was on the last stage of disciplinary action, my wife had an out patient procedure and the next morning she started hemorrhaging badly. I called my supervisor and told him that I have a family emergency and I would need a to be out with his permission given the position that I was . He said OK but that I should bring all the necessary paper work when I come back, which I did. I was only gone for two days. A few days later I was terminated on the grounds that it was an unscheduled absence. I filed for unemployment and the case was investigated. At the end of the investigation it was determined that my calling out was of a necessitous nature. Do I have a legal recourse here or way of reinstatement? Thank you.
A: Possibly- it depends on all the facts and circumstances, but the employer's action could be a violation of FMLA or the MD Sick/Safe Leave law. Employees faced with an unforeseeable medical emergency generally only have to give notice as soon as is practicable under the circumstances. But again- this area of the law is very fact specific.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
