FORT LAUDERDALE – A woman alleges she was terminated in retaliation for taking leave to care for her mother and for her own medical needs.
Sandra Gonzales filed a complaint on July 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Broward Division against Sports Medicine Associates of South Florida PA alleging violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that she had to take several leaves from work to attend to her own medical condition and to care for her mother in Peru. Despite not exhausting the 12 weeks of leave allowed by the FMLA for these situations, she alleges she was terminated for undisclosed reasons in June.
The plaintiff holds Sports Medicine Associates of South Florida PA responsible because the defendant allegedly retaliated against her for using her right to take leave from work under FMLA.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against defendant for back pay, damages, relief, attorneys' fees and costs and all further relief that the court deems just. She is represented by Richard Celler of Richard Celler Legal PA in Davie.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 16-cv-61807