HOUSTON – A former school secretary alleges she was terminated instead of being granted FMLA leave by her former employer.
Shari Yoakum filed a complaint on Dec. 29, 2017, in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Splendora Independent School District alleging violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Rehabilitation Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff was an office worker for the defendant for several years and most recently was a secretary at Peach Creek Elementary. She alleges in 2016, she developed serious liver problems that required medical attention and was placed on FMLA leave in April 2016. The suit states that rather than putting her on FMLA leave for the first day of the 2016-2017 school year in July 2016, she was terminated.
The plaintiff holds Splendora Independent School District responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to accommodate her disability and terminated her because of her disability and record of disability.
The plaintiff seeks back pay, reinstatement or alternatively front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, pre- and post-judgment interest, costs of court and such other relief to which she may be entitled. She is represented by David C. Holmes of Law Offices of David C. Holmes in Houston.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas case number 4:17-cv-03914