FMLA Lawyers in Cincinnati

Compassionate Legal Guidance Through Cincinnati FMLA Matters

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives eligible employees job-protected leave for certain medical, family, and military-related reasons. A workplace dispute may arise when an employer denies or delays leave, pressures an employee to keep working, counts protected absences against attendance, or takes adverse action after a leave request.

At Freking Myers & Reul LLC, we review the reason for leave, eligibility requirements, notice, medical certification, absence records, and the employer’s response. Our record includes favorable jury and bench verdicts and arbitration awards in FMLA, discrimination, and retaliation cases in Ohio state and federal courts.

FMLA Representation for Cincinnati Employees

At Freking Myers & Reul LLC, we’ve represented working people since 1990. Our employment-law practice handles FMLA interference, retaliation, discrimination, and wrongful termination claims.

FMLA interference involves conduct that prevents or obstructs the use of protected leave. Retaliation involves adverse treatment because an employee requested or used leave or challenged a possible violation.

Choose us to benefit from:

• Direct guidance: Clients work directly with the attorneys handling their cases rather than being routed through an automated process. 
• Experience: Our team brings over 300 years of combined experience.
• Hands-on approach: We are at your side each step of the way throughout the entire legal process.
• Tailored solutions: We examine your situation and concerns to provide individualized strategies for each client. 

How FMLA Eligibility & Qualifying Leave Work

Eligibility depends on the employee’s work history and the employer’s coverage. Employees generally must have worked for a covered employer for at least 12 months, completed at least 1,250 hours of service during the preceding 12 months, and worked at a site where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles.

Qualifying reasons for FMLA leave may include:

• The employee’s own serious health condition
• Care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition
• The birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care
• Certain needs arising from a family member’s covered military service
• Care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness

Eligible employees generally may take up to 12 workweeks of protected leave during a defined 12-month period. Military caregiver leave may provide up to 26 workweeks during a single 12-month period. The precise entitlement depends on the qualifying reason and any leave already used.

Employer Conduct That May Violate FMLA Rights

The FMLA protects eligible employees who need time away from work for qualifying family or medical reasons.

An employer may interfere with FMLA rights by: 

• Refusing qualifying leave
• Discouraging its use
• Failing to provide required notices
• Mishandling medical certification
• Miscounting leave
• Failing to maintain required health-benefit coverage

Whether particular conduct violates the law depends on eligibility, notice, documentation, and the employer’s obligations under the circumstances.

Potential retaliation can include: 

• Discipline
• Reduced hours
• Changed duties
• Denied promotion
• Negative evaluations
• Termination connected to an FMLA request or absence

After qualifying leave, an employee generally has the right to return to the same position or one that is virtually identical in pay, benefits, and duties. Statutory and regulatory exceptions may affect that right. 

If you believe your employer has interfered with your FMLA rights, denied qualifying leave, or retaliated against you for requesting or taking protected leave, it may be time to explore your legal options. Our Cincinnati FMLA attorney can evaluate the circumstances and help you understand potential next steps.

Intermittent Leave, Reduced Schedules, & Documentation

Intermittent leave allows an employee to take protected time in separate blocks rather than as one continuous absence. Reduced-schedule leave temporarily decreases the employee’s usual daily or weekly hours. Either arrangement may be available when medically necessary or for a qualifying exigency. Bonding leave is subject to different requirements.

Employers may request medical certification and require employees to follow applicable notice and certification procedures. A timeline of the leave request and related events can be useful, along with certification forms, leave notices, and communications with supervisors or human resources.

A leave dispute may overlap with disability discrimination, retaliation, or wrongful termination. It may also raise wage questions or other employment-law issues. The available claims depend on the reason for leave, the employer’s conduct, and the laws governing the working relationship.

Talk With Us About Your FMLA Dispute in Cincinnati

Share the basic facts of your leave request, your employer’s response, and any discipline or termination that followed. Useful records may include the employer’s leave policy, your dates and hours worked, medical certification requests, emails, attendance records, performance reviews, disciplinary notices, and termination documents.

We represent employees in FMLA and related employment disputes throughout Ohio. You’ll work directly with our attorneys as we review the leave request, the employer’s response, and the legal issues raised by the available records.