Must an employer engage in ­pleasantries and avoid critique of an employee’s pre-Family and Medical Leave Act leave work performance when an employee returns to work after an FMLA leave? In Checa v. Drexel University, No. 16-108, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83524 (E.D. Pa. June 28, 2016), the court found that the FMLA does not require an employer to forget about pre-leave ­performance deficiencies or deliver them in a courteous manner.

The plaintiff, Debra Checa, began her employment with defendant Drexel University College of Medicine in 2010. In 2014, Checa sought and was granted FMLA leave to have carpal tunnel surgery. Her leave was scheduled to end Sept. 14, 2014. Checa’s mother passed away while Checa was on leave and recovering from her surgery, according to the opinion. Consequently, Drexel approved Checa’s request to extend her leave.

Return to Work With No Condolences or Niceties

This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.

To view this content, please continue to their sites.

Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Why am I seeing this?

LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.

For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]