Former Employee Sues Walmart for Violations of FMLA

A former corporate Walmart employee has filed an FMLA lawsuit against the company for thousands of dollars. On December 27, the plaintiff filed a federal lawsuit against Walmart for allegedly violating the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. The plaintiff and his legal team are suing for $75,000, damages, and legal fees.

In July 2007, Walmart hired the plaintiff as an unloader/receiver at a distribution center located in Bentonville, Arkansas. Between the point at which he was hired in January 2021, the plaintiff was promoted five times and was relocated three times.

In his second to last position as the environmental health and safety senior manager for one of the company’s realty supply chain, he was allowed to work remotely during and after the pandemic. While working remotely, the plaintiff said he was told he could live and work anywhere in the United States. The plaintiff was again promoted in January of 2021 to environmental health and safety senior manager for realty supply chain.

Plaintiff requests family leave while working at Walmart 

In July 2023, the plaintiff requested family leave for his expecting child. The leave was approved by Walmart’s third party administrator. After getting approval, the plaintiff informed his supervisor he’d be taking 12 weeks of leave for the birth of his child. The plaintiff claimed his supervisor looked unenthusiastic and exasperated by the news.

Leading up to the plaintiff’s family leave, he discussed delegating his responsibilities with his supervisor who allegedly had a noticeable impatience and a dismissive tone. About a week before the plaintiff’s leave time, his supervisor allegedly instructed him to send an e-mail to his colleagues explaining he wouldn’t be in due to the birth of his child. The conversation was held in a video chat with other employees present. After being instructed, the plaintiff emailed his supervisor that he was not comfortable sharing private information and that anyone emailing him during his leave would get an automated e-mail.

The plaintiff returns from family and medical leave 

Around two weeks after returning from family leave, his supervisor allegedly told the plaintiff he must complete the mid-year evaluations on time or face repercussions, but the plaintiff claims he had never done mid-year evaluations during this time. In his lawsuit, the plaintiff also claimed that the supervisor began treating him differently after returning from his family leave. He said the supervisor scrutinized him more and micromanaged his work despite not doing so with others. The supervisor also planned to send the plaintiff to four different distribution centres to inform their managers of employee terminations but waited until several weeks after making the decision to tell the plaintiff, the lawsuit said. The plaintiff ultimately complained about the different treatment he was receiving and was subsequently fired for filing the complaint.

Talk to a Tampa FL FMLA attorney today 

Florin Gray represents the interests of employees in FMLA lawsuits filed against their employers. Call our Tampa FMLA attorneys today to schedule an appointment and we can begin discussing your case right away.

Source:

cjonline.com/story/news/courts/2025/01/07/ex-employee-and-berryton-resident-sues-walmart-alleging-fmla-violation/77399603007/