Ena J. Wages v. Stuart Management Corporation

**The Dispute** Ena Wages worked for Stuart Management Corporation when she needed time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for a serious health condition or family emergency. Her employer failed to properly accommodate her leave request and then retaliated against her for trying to use her legal rights under FMLA. Wages sued the company, claiming they violated federal law by denying her protected leave and punishing her for requesting it. **The Court's Decision** Both the trial court and appeals court ruled in Wages' favor. The courts found that she was legally entitled to FMLA protection and had given her employer proper notice about needing leave. Stuart Management was held liable for failing to accommodate her request and for retaliating against her. Wages was awarded $161,290 in damages, though the appeals court sent the case back to fix errors in calculating interest payments. **What This Means for Workers** This case reinforces that employers cannot ignore FMLA requests or punish workers for using their legal rights to family and medical leave. Workers who give proper notice and qualify for FMLA protection can seek significant financial compensation when employers violate these rights.