FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Employee Files Lawsuit against Quintiles IMS Holdings, Inc., for FMLA Violation
Lisa started working for Quintiles IMS Holdings, Inc. in 2015 as a specialty sales representative. A year later, Lisa requested and received approval for FMLA leave for an upcoming breast reduction surgery. Her supervisor allegedly chastised her for taking FMLA-approved leave, and soon after returning to work, Lisa’s supervisor placed her on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).
During a conference call with two of her supervisors, Lisa details how both men continued to refer to her surgery as “needless” and “elective.”During a conference call with two of her supervisors, Lisa details how both men continued to refer to her surgery as “needless” and “elective.” Her supervisor allegedly explained that Lisa was being placed on PIP because she’d failed to reach sale goals. Lisa listened in shock as her regional manager agreed with her supervisor and said that he was “very disappointed” in her. Meanwhile, Lisa ranked 5th in the company for sales growth in 2016, and she’d even received a $3,000 bonus for those achievements. Despite all of her work, Lisa felt that her supervisors were hyper focusing on her breast reduction surgery and her approved FMLA leave.
Overcome with stress at work, Lisa suffered anxiety attacks. She requested FMLA leave for stress-related issues, and she was approved. By November, Lisa had exhausted her FMLA leave, so she sought relief through leave for short term disability benefits. In January, Lisa returned to work. She notified the Human Resources department about the comments her supervisors had made to her. The HR representative allegedly promised to investigate the “harassment.” When Lisa followed up on her complaint two weeks later, Lisa shared that the HR representative said that they had talked to the supervisors but couldn’t discuss details.
Just over a week later, Lisa’s supervisor terminated her for previously excused discrepancies in a lunch sign-in sheet. Based on these events, Lisa thinks that her supervisors fired her because they believe she used FMLA leave for an unnecessary surgery. KM&A advocates on behalf of employees like Lisa, who face negative employment action for FMLA-approved leave.
Full text of this complaint, as filed with the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, is available at docket no: 5:17-cv-03654-EGS
Kraemer, Manes & Associates LLC is an employment law firm with principal offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, serving all counties in Pennsylvania, focusing on employment law, business law, litigation, and civil issues. KM&A clients include employees, small businesses, parties in litigation, and people with a variety of legal issues.
For more information about this case, contact Attorney Jonathan Chase at 215-475-3504 or at jwc@lawkm.com.
NOTICE: All information contained in this statement comes from the Complaint which has been filed as a public record with the court. As dedicated civil rights attorneys, we strongly believe in the public value of telling our clients’ stories: violators can be held accountable, and other silent victims can feel empowered to stand up for their legal rights. Although we make every attempt to verify our clients’ claims, note that the defendant is expected to oppose our client’s position, and the court has not ruled one way or the other as of the date of this statement.
