The 6th Circuit held “regular, in-person attendance constitutes an essential function of most jobs,” but an employer must tie time-and-presence requirements to some other job requirement in order to prove that in-person attendance is indeed an essential job function.
DOL Opines That Parent’s Attendance at Individualized Education Program Conference Warrants FMLA Leave
In an Aug. 8, 2019 opinion letter, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) shed some light on what counts as “caring for” a family member under the FMLA.
Employer’s Additional Notice Requirement for Requesting FMLA Leave Dooms Dismissal Attempt
While the FMLA regulations clearly authorize employers to adopt “usual and customary notice and procedural rules for requesting leave, absent unusual circumstances,” this case suggests employers should closely review any such rules to determine whether they place impermissible additional burdens on employees seeking FMLA leave.
Connecticut Issues Guidance on Pregnancy Accommodation
On Apr. 23, 2019, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities (CHRO) issued a Best Practices Bluepaper as guidance for employers with three or more employees facing accommodation requests from employees for pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.
FMLA Leave for Chronic Health Conditions
When an employee takes medical leave, treatment by a healthcare provider is often assumed, and the frequency of doctor’s visits is rarely scrutinized. The Pennsylvania federal court’s recent decision in Watkins v. Blind and Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh alerts us that this is not always a wise approach.