The Labor Department has recovered $14,082 in back wages from Little Rock-based Methodist Family Health after determining the behavioral health system illegally terminated a worker on family medical leave.
Methodist Family Health dismissed the employee after they had taken nine weeks of leave for a serious medical condition and parental leave following the birth of their child, according to a Nov. 14 Labor Department news release. The employee was entitled to 12 weeks under the Family Medical Leave Act.
"The employer erroneously limited the worker's amount of protected leave based on the combined use of leave between the worker and the worker's spouse, who is also employed by the company," the release said.
The Labor Department concluded that Methodist Family Health violated the FMLA.
When reached by Becker's, the health system declined to comment.