Employer Denied Medical Leave

Summary

To qualify for FMLA leave, you must have worked for your employer for at least 12 months and 1,250 hours. Since you do not meet these criteria, your medical leave was denied. However, since your injury occurred in the course of your job, you may be eligible for workers compensation under Florida law. This could provide you with benefits for your injury. Consider consulting with a local attorney to explore your options and ensure your rights are protected.

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I twisted my ankle before work. I work part time for an airline in Florida loading and unloading bags from airplanes. Before I got to work, I told them of my injury. I told them I'd do as much as I could. When I told them I could no longer do work and needed to rest, they told me to "walk it off" and forced me to continuing working. That was a Saturday. On Monday I went to a specialist and he wrote a note stating I needed to stay off of it for two weeks. My medical leave of two weeks was denied because I've been working there only 9 months. They said if I didn't report to work it was an unexcused absence and I could be fired. Is this legal?
I'm sorry you're dealing with this, Susan. Here are a few things to consider:
- Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you need to have worked for your employer for at least 12 months and *,* hours to qualify for leave.
- However, you might want to look into Florida's workers' compensation laws, as you were injured in the course of your job.
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