SUDOKU
TAKE THAT, PUBLIX! WHY THE CHAIN PAID A FIRED EMPLOYEE $17,000 Last December, the Publix Super Markets chain lost a battle in court and coughed up more than $17,000! The case started when a Publix warehouse employee (we’ll call him Mark) took leave from work because of a medical condition. This type of leave is completely legal thanks to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which grants eligible employees the right to take unpaid and job-protected leave for qualifying medical or family reasons. Mark was simply taking advantage of his rights — but Publix fired him anyway. This didn’t go over well with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). HR Drive reports that when the DOL dug into Mark’s case, they found that not only was he fired unfairly, but Publix also made several other FMLA-related mistakes. Yikes! The department went after the grocery store for Mark’s $12,727 in back wages and $5,127 in medical expenses — and won! Mark scored a victory for FMLA that day. Unfortunately, his situation is the exception to the rule. Many employees fired unfairly don’t realize they’re covered by FMLA, so they don’t take action and fight for their jobs, back wages, and expenses in court. We don’t want you or someone you love to end up in that situation, so here’s a quick rundown on FMLA and how it works.
Solution on Page 4
INGREDIENTS • CLASSIC CABBAGE ROLLS
1 medium head cabbage
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1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
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1 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
1 cup cooked rice 1/4 cup ketchup
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1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 14.5-oz cans Italian stewed tomatoes 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
You qualify for FMLA if …
1 lb lean (90%) ground beef
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1/4 lb Italian sausage
• Your employer is a public agency, private or public school (primary or secondary), or has at least 50 employees. • You’ve been at your current job for at least a year. • You’ve worked at least 1,260 hours (about 25 hours per week) in the past year. • Your employer has at least 50 workers within 75 miles of where you work. If you meet all of these requirements, you can take up to 12 weeks off work to take care of yourself or a family member without worrying that your employer will fire you or take away your health insurance. FMLA laws can be confusing, but if you think you or someone you know has an FMLA issue, don’t sweep it under the rug! Call our office for help to get the outcome you deserve.
DIRECTIONS 1.
In a Dutch oven, cook cabbage in boiling water for 10 minutes; drain. Rinse in cold water; drain. Remove 8 large outer leaves; set aside. 2. In a large saucepan, sauté 1 cup onion in butter. Add tomatoes, garlic, brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. In a large bowl, combine rice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and remaining onion and salt. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture and mix. 4. Remove thick vein from cabbage leaves for easier rolling. Place 1/2 cup meat mixture on each leaf; fold in sides. Starting at an unfolded edge, roll leaf to completely enclose filling. Place rolls seam side down in a skillet. Top with sauce. 5. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes longer or until a thermometer inserted reads 160 F.
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