Employment Law Partner Dan Guttman commented on the class action lawsuit filed against his client, the Greater Dayton Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) in the Dayton Daily News (“Suit says RTA denied FMLA leave”) on August 9, 2011.
RTA employees have filed the suit, alleging that the bus service has ignored or violated the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The suit seeks a change in RTA policies, payment of unspecified damages and pre-judgment interest and costs, in addition to an order restraining RTA “from violating the provisions of the FMLA.”
Guttman said RTA will vigorously defend against the lawsuit and that RTA already grants “weekly, if not daily” FMLA leave to eligible employees.
“We have a long history of granting FMLA leave when their employees meet the federal requirements,” he said.
The article highlights that Guttman and Baker Hostetler have been “successful in 95%” of the prior labor arbitrations, over two dozen, that have implicated FMLA leave over the past several years. Employment Law Partner Ron Linville maintains a long relationship as primary labor counsel for the Dayton, Columbus and Toledo RTA, and he and Guttman will lead the defense of the litigation.