Meeting with an FMLA Lawyer

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law in the USA that governs regulations for getting an unpaid leave by an employee for medical and family-oriented reasons for 12 weeks in a year with the threat of losing the job.

If an employer refuses to grant leave or fires you for asking for the leave, you can sue the employer for the damages in terms of wages lost and benefits lost. You may want to consider representing your case on your own but having an FMLA lawyer increases the chances of your winning the case. Even before you sue the employer start with looking for a suitable lawyer and meeting with them.

Look for an FMLA Lawyer

Start by looking for FMLA lawyers in your area. Take help from your friends, family, and acquaintances as well as the referral websites by using the term ‘FMLA lawyer near me’. Shortlist them by their qualification, experience, and reviews of other clients. Once you have your list, call them or send an email outlining the situation.

Do not give in to the urge to tell the whole tale over the first correspondence. You will then get an appointment for the consultation where you as well as the lawyer would decide if you could work together on the case. Meet with all the shortlisted lawyers until you find the best lawyer for your case.

The lawyer may refuse to take on your case because of time constraints or if they think your case is weak. Even so, they will likely refer you to someone else.

Prepare Before the Meeting

For a consultation, the lawyers might not give you a lot of time. For this reason, you should prepare the facts of the case in such a manner that you can discuss them with the lawyer within the time you get. It is better if the lawyer practices in the same jurisdiction where the lawsuit will be filed. For example, if you live in Miami, hire a Miami lawyer.

You should have your employment records and contact details of your employer and colleagues, who may testify in court, with you during the meeting. It is very helpful if you can prepare a timeline of the significant events in the case along with a description of each. The lawyer will ask several questions to better understand the case.

Remember that throughout the consultation you will be protected by the lawyer-client confidentiality privilege. You should ask beforehand if the lawyer would charge for the first meeting as several lawyers offer a free consultation for a couple of hours.

During the Meeting

The lawyer would tell you if they think you have a strong suit or not. In case they think that you do not have a strong suit, they will provide you an explanation and referral to other lawyers who might take your case or advise you against a lawsuit.

In case the lawyer decides to take your case, ask about the plan of action you will need to follow. Additionally, discuss the fee arrangement too. You can also ask the lawyer for references from previous clients before moving forward.

Things You Should Pay Attention To

Other than the plan of action and fee arrangement, the other things that you should pay attention to are if the lawyer listens to you well, the professional behavior or lack thereof, if you understand the lawyer and his intentions to proceed with the case as well as the relationship you develop with the lawyer.

Looking for an FMLA lawyer in Miami, do let us know in the comment section below.