In two recent court cases, federal and state courts overturned employers' decisions to terminate employees who had taken leaves of absences. In both cases, the courts found that the employers' leave policies and practices were ambiguous or incomplete. 

These court decisions are an important reminder to employers in all states to have their employee handbooks and other employment policies reviewed by a lawyer on a periodic basis. These are projects that Pro Bono Partnership volunteer lawyers can help your nonprofit with. For more information, please contact the Partnership lawyer you regularly work with or the Partnership office in your state. Please click here for the phone numbers for our offices in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.

To read about the two recent court decisions, click on the following links:

• Employer did not communicate FMLA policy and cannot fire worker (from Business Insurance)

• At-Will Employment Takes Another Hit in New Jersey as Maternity Leave Policy Gives Birth to Implied Employment Contract (from Littler Mendelson)