Blog #7

 Today, on my second to last day I used all the depositions I read to create an application. There is a fund called I believe the John Morrow fund that gives money to lawyers to cover for people unable to pay for lawyers. I am not sure if it is just for personal injury, workers compensation, and employment discrimination, or if its for all cases. Well, because the case was about the client losing their job, it meant they were unable to pay for Ms. Miguel-Courtad's services so we filled out this application. I had to provide a summary of the case based on the depositions and initial complaint Ms. Miguel-Courtad submitted on behalf of the plaintiff. I also had to request a certain amount of money, and describe the positive impact this case would have on the larger population. 

Before today I also had to read up on the Family Medical Leave Act because it was pertinent to the case. It basically ensures that people unable to work for various reasons still have access to the benefits of employment like health insurance for 12 weeks in a year and are able to return to their job. This act only applied to places where the employee had worked for at least 12 months, had worked at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months, and work for an employer with at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius. But for people who are highly compensated the rights are different. Highly compensated employees are defined as “a salaried eligible employee who is among the highest paid 10 percent of the employees employed by the employer within 75 miles of the facility at which the employee is employed." The employer does not have to return the highly compensated employee to their original position if it would significantly hurt the company. 

Right outside MY cubicle