Is it legal to fire someone for going to the hospital to see a sick relative who was taken to the ER instead of coming to work?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is it legal to fire someone for going to the hospital to see a sick relative who was taken to the ER instead of coming to work?
I have been hired 3 times now by this company so they obviously know I’m a good employee. I started in housekeeping, then went to the front desk. I love working with the guests; they seem to think I’m good at my job. One night I worked 7:00am – 9:3 pm (14 1/2 hours). New Link Destination
day I found out that my brother was rushed to the E.R. I asked if someone would cover me for a few hours and I’d come in when we got back. However, they said that if I didn’t show up, I was fired. Can they do that legally?
Asked on July 16, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Oklahoma
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
A company can set the conditons of employment much as it sees fit. This includes firing someone for not showing up for their shift, no matter what the reason. In fact, even if you had tried to use vacation or PTO, your employer could refuse to let you do so. This is true unless your treatment constitutes some form of legally actionable discrimination or is prohibited by the terms of a union agreement or employment contract.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.