A Pittsburgh paralegal has sued her employer claiming that she unlawfully lost her job when she requested a leave of absence to undergo a hysterectomy.
Renee Reiland filed suit Oct. 5 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County Civil Division against Edgar Snyder and Associates, alleging it terminated her in violation of the Family Medical Leave Act.
According to the complaint, Reiland worked for the law office from January to December 2010 in the workers' compensation department. In October 2010, the complaint states, she was advised by her doctors that she needed a hysterectomy.
Reiland claims that she informed her employers that she needed to undergo the surgery, would be taking a leave of absence, and completed their requests to file for short-term disability benefits.
When she contacted her employer regarding the unpaid benefits in December 2010, the complaint states, she was not given any direct answers and later learned from co-workers the same month that a memo had been sent that stated she resigned.
Reiland seeks lost past and future wages, punitive damages, and costs of litigation. The plaintiff is represented pro se.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania case number 2:15-cv-01296-JFC