Staples to pay former Columbia employee for Family and Medical Leave Act violation

COLUMBIA, SC Staples, Inc has agreed to pay a former employee in Columbia $275,000 after allegations that the nationwide chain had violated his rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act, US attorney Bill Nettles said Thursday.

Jeffrey Angstadt worked for Staples in Columbia from 2009 until 2012. He notified his employer in 2010 that he needed to take leave to help care for his wife, who was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy following a cancer diagnosis. After taking intermittent leave and working remotely for a year and four months, he was unlawfully placed on performance review and terminated, Nettles said.

Angstadt remained unemployed more than a year.

In announcing the settlement with Staples, Nettles said the national office supply chain agreed to pay Angstadt $275,000 in back pay and lost benefits and to promote compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act through a management training program and prominent display of FMLA compliance posters in Staples employee areas.

Staples was faulted for a failure to provide notice to Mr. Angstadt of his rights under the FMLA, Nettles said.

“The very purpose of the Family Medical Leave Act is to prevent the unfortunate fate of Mr. Angstadt, whose wife passed away last year,” Nettles said.

This story was originally published May 28, 2015 at 5:46 PM with the headline "Staples to pay former Columbia employee for Family and Medical Leave Act violation."