Labor Department rules against U.S. Logistics Solutions in illegal firing case

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hours Division has announced that U.S. Logistics Solutions illegally fired an employee for requesting and using Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protected leave for parental bonding and also to care for a spouse with an eligible health condition.

According to a release from the Department of Labor, the distribution center in Covington, Georgia, fired a dock supervisor illegally. Following an investigation by the DOL, $67,140 has been recovered for the employee. This includes missed pay after being fired, as well as front pay for a year and unpaid earned time off.

“Employers cannot deprive an employee eligible for Family and Medical Leave of their legal rights, and force them to make the hard choice between keeping their jobs and caring for themselves or their families,” said Wage and Hour Division district director Steven Salazar in Atlanta. “Federal law prevents employers from retaliating against workers who choose to exercise their right to bond with a newborn child.”

U.S. Logistics Solutions Inc. is part of a large network of logistics providers in Humble, Texas, that employs 1,500 workers and has 24 warehouses across the country.

The release noted the division withheld parental leave from the employee, even though they knew about the birth of the child. On June 2, 2022, which was 42 days after the birth, the employer held a meeting to discuss the FMLA denial and also told the employee they were being fired.

On June 9, 2022, U.S. Logistics Solutions notified the employee that the company stopped the FMLA parental bonding request on April 13, 2022. This was eight days prior to the birth.

In fiscal year 2022, the Wage and Hour Division investigated 780 FMLA complaints and reportedly recovered more than $870,000 in back wages for major violations.

According to the release, federal law prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who exercise their right to bond with a newborn child.

For more information about FMLA and other laws through the Wage and Hour Division, contact the toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).