Alejandro Caffarelli and Madeline Engel Prevail in Federal Jury Trial:

On November 16, 2018, a federal jury returned a verdict in favor of Caffarelli & Associates Ltd. client N.V. Ms. V was a former school administrator for a suburban school district, who shortly after being promoted started suffering from debilitating mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. Despite showing outward manifestations of her condition, crying uncontrollably, and requesting (and being denied) a changed schedule so that she could bring her unexplained symptoms under control, the school principal accepted her resignation without first notifying Ms. V of her right to take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act – a resignation that would not have taken place but for the fact that Ms. V was suffering from these medical conditions. The verdict is significant in that it reaffirms the rights of people suffering mental disabilities to take leaves of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act, and that an employer cannot turn a blind eye when an employee is in need of assistance. For further information please contact Alejandro Caffarelli or Madeline Engel at Caffarelli & Associates, Ltd.