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Public
Employee Press Lawsuit
on NYPD family leave violations will cover 1,000 DC
37 attorneys recently won class action status on behalf of Local 1549 members
in their lawsuit against the New York Police Dept. over repeated violations of
their rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.
The class
certification means that the federal court action now covers over 1,000 current
and former Police Communications Technicians and Supervising PCTs.
The
FMLA capped a labor movement drive to improve family protections against harsh
treatment by management. The law says employers must provide up to 12 weeks of
job-protected, unpaid leave a year for serious health problems or to care for
a newborn or adopted child or a seriously ill family member.
Over 50 million
Americans nationwide, 58 percent of them female and 42 percent male, took FMLA
leave from 1993-2004. But the NYPD flouted the law.
They denied us
our rights, said Pam Rodriguez, Local 1549s PCT/SPCT chapter chair,
through blanket cancellations and by making people with permanent conditions
recertify every 30 days even paraplegics in wheelchairs and parents with
continuing childcare needs.
The agency rejected her own request to
use her intermittent FMLA leave to take her sick mother to a doctors appointment.
Since
our lawsuit has been progressing, the NYPD has not been canceling our leaves,
so weve already made some progress, said 24-year veteran Cynthia Hill,
chief steward at the 911 Communications Center.
Cynthia Hill and
the other lead plaintiffs have really stuck to their guns, said Grievance
Rep Rhonda Spaulding. Theyre fighting for what they believe in.
Clerical
Division Director Ronnie Harris said the goal of the suit is to force the
NYPD to comply with the law.
Notices were to be sent to class members
in late May or early June, said DC 37 attorney Steven Sykes, who has been handling
the case with outside attorneys.
If you believe you should be part
of this class action and you dont receive the notice by the end of June
especially if you were denied intermittent FMLA leave write to request
one, said Sykes. Write Maureen M. Stampp, Esq., at Lewis, Brisbois, Brisgaard
& Smith LLP, 199 Water Street, Suite. 2500, New York, NY 10038.
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