US Department of Labor recovers $200K for employee illegally terminated by Georgia county health agency for exercising rights to protected leave

Summary:

The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recovered $200,000 in back wages for a former Cobb & Douglas Public Health worker who was illegally terminated after requesting and trying to use Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protected leave. The worker had a two-night hospital visit and required subsequent care for a worsening condition. The employer failed to inform the worker of their FMLA eligibility, provide a rights and responsibilities notice, and allow the employee to exercise their FMLA rights. The department initially found 334 FMLA compliance actions with violations in fiscal year 2023, resulting in over $987,000 in back wages for 395 workers.