FMLA leave generally cannot be used as a negative factor, but some goal-based bonuses may be affected if equivalent non-FMLA leave is treated the same. Learn the rules.
An employer may not be able to force an early return from protected FMLA leave. Learn how doctor notes, fitness-for-duty rules, light duty, ADA accommodations, NJ TDI, and PA law interact.
UPDATE DRAFT for existing URL: https://swartz-legal.com/anxiety-disorder-and-the-family-and-medical-leave-act-fmla/ Attorney review is required before publication. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions can qualify for FMLA. Learn eligibility, intermittent leave, certification, confidentiality, ADA accommodations, and NJ/PA protections.
UPDATE DRAFT for existing URL: https://swartz-legal.com/what-is-fmla-retaliation-and-how-do-you-prove-it/ Attorney review is required before publication. Supervisor pressure, attendance points, threats, and negative reviews can become FMLA interference or retaliation. Learn what to document and how NJ & PA employees can respond.
UPDATE DRAFT for existing URL: https://swartz-legal.com/how-can-i-extend-fmla-in-pa/ Attorney review is required before publication. FMLA usually ends after 12 workweeks, but ADA, NJLAD, PHRA, employer leave, and New Jersey TDI protections may provide more time. Learn what happens next.
Reviewed by Richard S. Swartz, Esq. | Updated April 2026 | Practice Areas: FMLA, NJFLA, Disability Accommodation, Wrongful Termination, Retaliation Most people who ask whether their employer can deny their FMLA request are already worried — they’ve submitted paperwork, gotten silence or pushback, and now they’re trying to figure out whether what they’re hearing is…
If you reported discrimination, filed a complaint, requested leave, or refused to participate in something illegal — and your employer responded by demoting you, cutting your hours, giving you negative reviews, or firing you — you may have a retaliation claim. But having experienced retaliation and being able to prove it are two different things.…
If your employer denied your FMLA leave request and pointed to missing or incomplete paperwork, that may not be a valid reason — even if the paperwork genuinely was not finished on time. What many employees don’t know is this: before an employer can deny FMLA leave based on incomplete documentation, the employer must follow…
I. The Legal Snapshot: A Quick Summary Employees taking FMLA leave during the holidays face unique risks of retaliation, including the denial of “attendance bonuses” and accusations of leave abuse. To avoid these pitfalls, employees should provide written notice of their leave needs as early as possible, avoid social media activity that contradicts their…
Taking time off work for a serious medical reason, whether for yourself or a loved one, is often a period filled with stress and uncertainty. The last thing any employee wants to worry about during such a time is whether their job will be safe or if they’ll face negative consequences from their employer. Questions…