SHREVEPORT – A Shreveport man alleges he was terminated for applying for a leave to care for his wife's medical needs.
Fred Walpool filed a complaint on April 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport Division against Frymaster LLC and The Manitowoc Co. Inc. alleging that they violated the Family and Medical Leave Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff was hired as a welder in 1994 and requested a leave under FMLA in August 2015 to provide transportation for his wife to physical therapy. He alleges that on Sept. 8, 2015, he was terminated from his employment, just four days after his intermittent leave was approved.
The plaintiff holds Frymaster LLC and The Manitowoc Co. Inc. responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to provide reasonable accommodations and retaliated against him by terminating his employment for requesting to use FMLA leave.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks front pay and back pay, plus interest, compensatory and liquidated damages, costs of suit and all other relief as the court deems equitable. He is represented by Allison A. Jones of Downer, Jones, Marino & Wilhite in Shreveport.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport Division Case number 5:17-cv-00558