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Heads Up: Two Recent Cases Involving the FMLA

By Victoria Woodin Chavey
July 31, 2008

An employee approaches her supervisor to say that she needs time off at the end of the month, probably no more than three to four days. The supervisor asks for the specific dates and approves the time off. The employee then says, in passing, that she really is not looking forward to her knee surgery, but knows she must have it. The supervisor, who is aware that the employee had had knee surgery about four years earlier, is reluctant to inquire about the surgery or any related medical information, and so changes the subject to the weather.

Has the employer in this scenario appropriately stayed clear of a discussion with the employee about a medical condition? Most would say yes. Either because the Americans with Disabilities Act defines 'disabled' as including 'perceived as disabled,' or because of HIPAA's protection of the privacy of personal health information, or because of a general preference not to become involved in a co-worker's or subordinate's personal life, most employers intentionally refrain from delving into employees' personal medical histories or making assumptions about employees' health status. Rather, employers generally prefer to focus exclusively on their employees' work conduct. A manager need not know why an employee is out of work, but only that he or she is out of work for medical reasons deemed legitimate by a health care provider.

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