Miller Johnson forms FMLA practice group

05/18/07

Miller Johnson forms FMLA practice group

Michigan-based law firm Miller Johnson has formed an entire practice group to help clients deal with the federal Family Leave Medical Act (FMLA) woes. The Act passed 14 years ago in 1993, when President Clinton was in office, allows up to 12 weeks unpaid leave to employees. However, the Act's woes frustrated employers greatly.

Under the FMLA, employers having more than 50 employees will need to grant unpaid leave to workers for up to 12 weeks during a 12-month period. The reasons for leave include birth and care of the newborn child, adopting a child, to care for an immediate family member — spouse, child, or parent — with a serious medical condition, and for the employee's serious health condition. Apart from these, the law also permits employees to get benefit of "intermittent" leave or short off' — to drive a sick relative to a medical appointment on a certain day of the week, etc.

Looking at these problems faced frequently by harassed employers, Miller Johnson decided to pull together a team of experts working in the area and form a practice group specifically for FMLA area. Sarah Willey, an employment and labor-law lawyer in Miller Johnson's Kalamazoo office, said the FMLA continues to puzzle lawyers. Many employers often grant leave fearing litigation from employees, said Willey who is also a part of the firm's new FMLA Solutions group.

The law firm's practice group will offer practical counseling on routine FMLA dilemmas, besides human resources training to managers and supervisors, creating attendance protocols with notice and details for FMLA absences, medical certification documents, among others.

New law firm initiates class action practice in Chicago area
Premier class action antitrust law firm Freed, Kanner, London & Millen, LLC, has recently set up its office near Chicago.

Before establishing this new law firm, the six attorneys of Freed, Kanner were with class action law firm Much Shelist Freed Denenberg Ament & Rubenstein, P.C.

In February this year, the law firm was approved as a lead counsel in a price-fixing case against many hydrogen peroxide manufacturers. The firm also played an important role in recovering millions of dollars for buyers of high fructose corn syrup, rubber chemicals, and computer memory.

Representing sufferers of frauds and price-fixing in diverse business sectors, the law firm has recovered billions of dollars through anti-trust class action cases.

Though the firm Freed, Kanner, London & Millen, located near Chicago in Bannockburn, Illinois, was founded on January 1, 2007, its founders have over 30 years experience of prosecuting class action cases.

BIZARRE NEWS

That easy?
Baby 'Bubba' receives Illinois gun permit

Two feet and three inches in height, weighs 20 pounds and is 10 months old. What do you think am I referring to? That's Bubba, or Howard David Ludwig's vital statistics. He is the proud recipient of his very own Illinois gun permit and at an age of 10 months only!! Besides, Bubba still crawls, blubbers, and has to be waited hand and foot for all his needs. But while he still explores the world on all fours, and blows bubbles when he talks with his toothless gums, the Illinois State Police did not think it strange to hand him a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card. Any Illinois resident, purchasing, or possessing firearms, or ammunition within the state, must have a FOID card. No, it isn't a joke gone bad nor a prize mistake by the police. "There are no age restrictions on the cards," the officials stated. It is actually a tale of three generations! Grandpa Ludwig, a trap shooting enthusiast, wanted to gift grandson Ludwid, a toddler, a 12-gauge Beretta shotgun, for which papa Ludwig, a local columnist, wanted to apply for a FOID card. And while filling up for himself, he also jokingly filled the application for the Bubba. The baby obliged by scribbling where a signature was required. And after a week, papa Ludwig had the last laugh when baby Bubba's toothless grin from the photograph in a FOID card stared back at him. The card rightfully belongs to Bubba. Getting a FOID is that easy!