Whether it is caring for a newborn child, a stay in the hospital for a serious illness or taking care of a seriously ill loved one, there may be times that an employee in Minnesota has to take an extended medical leave from work. It is fortunate, then, that there is the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This federal law mandates that employers give workers who have been employed by them for over one year, up to 12 weeks of leave for their own medical needs or the medical needs of a family member. This leave is unpaid.
Unfortunately, things do not always run so smoothly. Sometimes employers do not allow a worker to take FMLA leave, even if the worker is qualified to do so. Other times an employer may retaliate against a worker for taking FMLA leave. For example, they could demote a worker or even outright fire the worker.
However, workers do not have to sit back and take this unfair treatment. If they are unlawfully denied FMLA leave or if they are retaliated against for taking FMLA leave, workers may have the opportunity in certain circumstances to file a lawsuit against their employer.
Of course, when it comes to filing a lawsuit, many workers may not know where to begin, or even what their rights are. That is when having the help of a dedicated attorney, such as attorney John Klassen, can help workers understand their options, so they can choose the most appropriate course of action. For some this means negotiating a settlement out of court while for others this means moving forward with litigation.
Attorney Klassen has two decades of legal experience, and has helped many workers whose employers violated their rights as employees. To learn more about employee rights in Minnesota, his webpage on the topic may be of use. In addition to information about John Klassen, the firm’s webpage also has helpful information about various employee rights topics including illegal workplace discrimination, the FMLA and unpaid overtime violations.
