Los Angeles Family Medical Leave Act Attorney

Los Angeles FMLA  Lawyer

Most people do not realize that they have certain rights under the law when it comes to medical leave. If you think your rights have been violated by your employer and you need a family medical leave act attorney in Los Angeles, we are here to help. The Azadian Law Group, PC has the experienced and knowledgeable team you need right now. We will get to the bottom of what happened and work to secure the compensation you deserve.

When an employee returns from medical leave, he or she should be returned to the same position and the same pay/benefits. See Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 2, § 11089(b) (“The employee is entitled to the same position or to a comparable position that is equivalent (i.e., virtually identical) to the employee’s former position in terms of pay, benefits, shift, schedule, geographic location, and working conditions, including privileges, perquisites, and status. The position must involve the same or substantially similar duties and responsibilities, which must entail substantially equivalent skill, effort, responsibility, and authority.”)

The Los Angeles Family Medical Leave Act Attorneys at Azadian Law Group, PC, can help determine if your rights related to medical leave have been violated.

California law is very clear that providing medical leave and altering attendance policies is a reasonable accommodation to provide employees who do not qualify for medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or California Family Rights Act (CFRA).  See California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Chapter 2 § 11068 (“holding a job open for an employee on a leave of absence or extending a leave provided by . . . an employer’s leave plan may be a reasonable accommodation provided that the leave is likely to be effective in allowing the employee to return to work at the end of the leave, with or without further reasonable accommodation, and does not create an undue hardship for the employer.”); see also California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Chapter 2 § 11065 (“Reasonable  accommodation may include, but are not limited to, such measures as: . . . (I) Modifying an employer policy; . . . (M)  Providing a paid or unpaid leave for treatment and recovery, consistent with section 11068(c).”); Sanchez v. Swissport, Inc., 213 Cal. App. 4th 1331, 1338 (2013) (“Under the FEHA, a disabled employee is entitled to a reasonable accommodation—which may include leave of no statutorily fixed duration—provided that such accommodation does not impose an undue hardship on the employer.”).

What is protected when it comes to medical leave in California?

You may not realize that workers are afforded significant protections when it comes to taking medical leave for various reasons. Both the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) are available to workers.

All California employers must comply with the FMLA if they have at least 50 employees for at least 20 weeks in the current or previous year. In order for an employee to be eligible for FMLA protections, they must:

• Have worked for the company for at least a year
• Have worked at least 1,250 hours the previous year
• Have worked at a location with 50 employees within a 75-mile radius

As of January 1, 2021, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) does not require the employer have 50 or more employees. Instead, the CFRA only requires the employer has 5 or more employees.

Under the FMLA and the CFRA, employees can take time away from work for the following reasons:

• The birth of a child or adoption of a child by the employee
• The recovery from a serious health condition requiring continuing treatment or inpatient care
• The serious health condition of a spouse, child, or parent

For those who are eligible for and use their legally afforded time off, they can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave (this time does not have to be consecutive. Employers are breaking the law if they fail to provide this time or retaliate against an employer for taking their unpaid leave.

• Even if you did not specifically request medical leave, you are still protected if your employer is aware of the circumstances of your leave.

The state of California has various laws and regulations in place to protect workers who are not eligible for FLMA/CFRA coverage. Please speak with a qualified Family Medical Leave Act attorney in Los Angeles about your particular case moving forward.

HOW A LOS ANGELES FMLA LAW FIRM CAN HELP

Employment laws are often complex and nuanced. If you lack the proper training and experience, you may understandably struggle to know whether you have grounds to take legal action against an employer for a perceived FMLA violation. Even if you are confident you have a valid case, you might find it difficult to prove this when filing a claim or lawsuit.

It’s very wise to enlist the help of legal professionals who have experience representing clients like yourself in these circumstances. A Los Angeles FMLA lawyer can assist you in the following critical ways:

EVALUATING YOUR CASE

The process of hiring a Los Angeles FMLA attorney will typically begin with a consultation. This is a meeting in which you explain why you believe your employer broke the law.

The initial consultation gives an attorney the opportunity to determine if you should take legal action. It also gives you a chance to ask questions about your case. You’re under no obligation to hire a lawyer after consulting with them if you don’t have confidence in their ability to provide you with the representation you deserve.

To ensure your first meeting at a Los Angeles FMLA law firm is productive, prepare ahead of time by taking the following steps:

• Draft a full account of your experience that includes all relevant details. You can refer to this written narrative during your consultation to guard against accidentally leaving out important information when discussing your case with a lawyer.
• Gather any emails from supervisors, voicemail messages from supervisors, or other such evidence that you believe might strengthen your case.
• Make a basic list of the struggles you’ve experienced as a result of an employer’s potential FMLA violation. While you may not necessarily be able to receive compensation or justice for all the difficulties you’ve faced, it could be helpful for a lawyer to have a general sense of how an employer’s actions have negatively impacted you.

INVESTIGATING

Investigating your case is an essential task. You need to gather evidence showing that your employer’s actions or mistreatment of you constitute a violation of the law under the FMLA.

You likely don’t have the time or resources necessary to conduct this investigation yourself. Fortunately, you don’t have to. This is a task a qualified Los Angeles FMLA attorney can handle on your behalf.

COMPLETING ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS

You don’t need to burden yourself with tasks like filing paperwork if you’re seeking justice because an employer has broken the law. Depending on the nature of the FMLA violation, you could be facing numerous hardships right now. Instead of adding to your struggles by completing administrative tasks yourself, hire a lawyer to assist you.

DETERMINING WHAT YOU’RE OWED

Your general goal when taking legal action against an employer who you believe has violated FMLA laws is to ensure that justice is served. That said, you might not know the specific form that “justice” may take in these circumstances.

This is another reason to enlist the help of an experienced attorney. They can account for the impact an employer’s actions have had on your life to determine what type of outcome you should pursue.

What your Los Angeles FMLA attorney will do to help you now

Employers should not be able to violate state or federal law. If you have been denied your lawful medical leave by your employer in Los Angeles, CA, seek legal assistance today. At the Azadian Law Group, PC, we have a thorough understanding of these cases and are ready to get to work. Our goal is to secure the compensation you deserve. This can include:

• Lost back pay and loss of future wages
• Your court costs and legal fees
• Possible liquidated damages
• Pain and suffering damages
• Possible punitive damages against your employer

When you need a Los Angeles family medical leave act attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at 213-229-9031.