Gwinnett County NAACP v. Gwinnett County Board of Registration and Elections

**Court Rules in Favor of Worker Fired After Medical Leave** This case involved an employee who was terminated by Fort Worth Transportation Authority (FWTA) and McDonald Transit, Inc. after taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The worker claimed his employers violated their collective bargaining agreement by firing him when he returned from protected medical leave. He also alleged the termination was retaliation for taking FMLA leave and constituted wrongful termination. The court sided with the employee, granting summary judgment in his favor on the breach of contract claim. The judge found that the employers violated the terms of their collective bargaining agreement when they terminated the worker's employment following his FMLA leave. This ruling matters for workers because it reinforces important protections for employees who need to take medical leave. It shows that employers cannot simply fire workers for using their legally protected right to FMLA leave, especially when doing so violates existing employment contracts or collective bargaining agreements. Workers covered by union contracts have additional layers of protection beyond federal law, and courts will enforce these agreements when employers try to retaliate against employees for taking necessary medical time off.