PHILADELPHIA — A former employee of is suing a hospital for claims that he was fired in retaliation for taking medical leave.
Michael Suppa filed a lawsuit on April 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, citing violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act.
According to the complaint, Suppa was hired by the defendant as a data center supervisor in approximately January 2007. The plaintiff claims he went on FMLA approved leave for a shoulder injury on Feb. 14, 2014.
One week after his return on April 22, 2014, the plaintiff alleges, he was informed that he was being terminated effective May 2, 2014. The defendant reportedly terminated the plaintiff for not complying with a performance improvement, which he avers was an immaterial justification with suspicious timing as he was terminated one week after his return.
Suppa seeks damages for all lost wages and benefits, compensatory and liquidated damages, costs, attorneys’ fees, and a trial by jury. He is represented by James A. Bell IV and Christopher A. Macey of Bell & Bell LLP in Philadelphia.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Case number 2:16-cv-01899-CDJ