the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Apr 2, 2012
The Supreme Court recently ruled against a Maryland State employee who sued the state for denying him sick leave to deal with his diabetes and hypertension and then fired him–despite provisions of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The court said states are immune from lawsuits involving monetary damages including cases where their employees are illegally denied FMLA time off or fired.
This decision is a blow against the rights of all workers. While it explicitly denies the right of only state workers to sue their employer, it adds to the many attacks being made on all workers’ rights–public and private–all over the country. It undermines even the limited relief that FMLA has brought to workers who need time off to deal with health problems they or their family members may have.
Does anyone believe that private companies won’t try to challenge their workers’ rights under FMLA, too?