Bay Area CFRA Attorneys

Certain state and federal laws grant protections to employees in California. If you suspect that your employer is not adhering to these laws, you should reach out to the experienced Bay Area CFRA attorneys at Minnis & Smallets. If you have been denied medical leave or even fired for taking leave, you may have a valid legal claim. Our attorneys are experienced in determining if employers are out of line and will hold them accountable for their actions. 

What is the California Family Rights Act?

The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) provides some California employees the protection to take family care or medical leave without punitive measures or losing their job. It is one of several laws that ensure employees can take care of themselves and their families when they need to without fearing retaliation from their employer. 

Even still, there are employers in this state that either decide to ignore the CFRA or to not adhere to its provisions. The result may be unlawful termination and the violation of important employee rights. If these circumstances sound familiar, you can count on Bay Area CFRA lawyers at Minnis & Smallets to provide you with the legal representation you deserve. 

Your Rights Under CFRA

The CRFA shares many characteristics of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Both provide eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid medical leave annually to attend to their own health problems, care for a newborn or foster child, or to care for a family member with a serious illness. One significant difference between the two is that FMLA does not allow employees protection if they take time off to care for a registered domestic partner, whereas the CFRA does. 

Another difference is that the CRFA does not include pregnancy and disabling conditions related to pregnancy as a serious medical condition, but FMLA does. Under the CRFA, employees are granted unpaid medical leave to bond a child after birth but not for issues during their pregnancy. With CRFA, an employer can mandate that employees take time off in two-week increments, but FMLA does not have these requirements. 

Can You Qualify for Both CFRA and FMLA?

Some employees will qualify for both state and federal protections, however, both leave types will run concurrently. To be eligible for CRFA or FMLA:

• Your employer must have 50 or more employees
• An employee must have worked for the employer for at least 12 months, and  at least 1,250 hours (CRFA requirement only)
• If you take CFRA-qualified leave, your employer must maintain your employee health benefits

Count on Help From Our Bay Area CFRA Attorneys

It is unlawful for employers to ignore the protections provided to you by the CRFA. If you don’t take action to stand up for yourself by contacting Bay Area CFRA lawyers, then other employees will likely face this same behavior. Get your rights back by meeting with a lawyer today. Contact our experienced employment attorneys at Minnis & Smallets today for your legal consultation.