You never really know when an illness will occur, but when it does, you should be able to take off work without having to worry about being fired for doing so. Many people have employers who are understanding when a personal or family illness occurs, but others are not so lucky and have employers who get angry when they have to miss work for any reason. It is understandable that employers like to have their employees present so they can do the job they were hired for, but since they are ill or need to take care of a loved one, employers should be considerate of this instead of retaliating against them.
Employees are protected under the Family Medical Leave Act, and if they need to take time off from work, they can do so without fearing employer retaliation. Although employers know the rules and laws and are aware of the fact that they cannot retaliate against an employee for taking leave, some still do. There have been many employees who try to return to work after taking leave, only to find they have been terminated from their position.
Since FMLA protects you, you should not allow your employer to terminate you for taking leave. This is illegal, and you should consider filing a claim against them. Even if you only want to get your job back and not seek compensation, there is a chance that a judge may find your employer was wrong for terminating you and will hold your employer responsible for violating your rights.
If your employer has denied your request for leave and FMLA protects you, then you may want to speak to an attorney about filing a claim against them. It is not right for your employer to fire you for needing time to recover from a medical condition or caring for a family member who needs you. Those living in Indiana may be able to receive assistance from an attorney at the Employment Law Office of John H. Haskin & Associates.
