Krohn v. Forsting

**Krohn v. City of Berkeley, Missouri (1998)** This case involved an employee who sued the City of Berkeley, Missouri, claiming wrongful termination and failure to accommodate under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The worker believed the city illegally fired them and failed to provide proper accommodations related to family or medical leave. The court dismissed the employee's case entirely. The judge ruled that the court didn't have the authority to hear the case because the worker hadn't followed proper procedures first. Specifically, the employee failed to "exhaust administrative remedies" - meaning they didn't go through required internal complaint processes or file with government agencies before going to court. Because these preliminary steps weren't completed, the court said it had no jurisdiction to decide the case. **What this means for workers:** Before filing a lawsuit over FMLA violations, employees must typically follow specific procedures first. This usually means filing complaints with your employer's HR department or with government agencies like the Department of Labor. Skipping these required steps can result in your court case being thrown out entirely, regardless of whether your claims have merit. Always research proper complaint procedures or consult with an employment attorney before pursuing legal action.