Tenafly Pediatrics agreed to pay $45,000 to an employee allegedly fired for taking time off to be with her dying father.
Acting state Attorney General John Hoffman said Tenafly Pediatrics settled allegations that it wrongly terminated an employee who left to spend time with her dying father. (File Photo) TENAFLY -- A pediatric medical group with offices in Bergen and Passaic counties has agreed to pay a former employee $45,000 to settle accusations that it wrongly terminated her for taking time off to be with her dying father.
Tenafly Pediatrics must pay former billing coordinator Allison Blair in two installments of $22,500 each, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said in a release.
The company must also post the rights and obligations afforded to employees under the New Jersey Family Leave Act and train supervisors, managers and human resources workers in the state and federal family leave laws. Tenafly Pediatrics also gave Blair a letter of reference.
Tenafly Pediatrics fired Blair in March 2014 after a nine-day absence, Hoffman said. She was caring for her terminally ill father and attended his funeral.
When she returned, Tenafly Pediatrics gave her a letter saying she was no longer employed due to the "unexcused absence."
Before leaving, Blair told supervisors by phone of her plans and said she planned to take the time under the Family Leave Act, Hoffman said. Tenafly Pediatrics said she failed to follow proper procedures.
Blair had worked at Tenafly Pediatrics for more than seven years. The company has offices in Tenafly, Fort Lee, Clifton, Paramus, Oakland and Park Ridge.
Tenafly Pediatrics admits no wrongdoing under the settlement, Hoffman said. The company argued that Blair failed to provide proper paperwork, that she had exhausted her normal paid leave time and that she failed to keep in touch with supervisors while away.
The Attorney General's Division on Civil Rights found that these factors "had no bearing" because Blair was entitled under the law to take family leave.
"An employee should not have to be forced to choose between keeping his or her job and tending to the serious health condition of a family member," Division Director Craig T. Sashihara said.
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