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A North Carolina county is facing a federal lawsuit after allegedly firing a longtime human resources specialist for taking medical leave—an action the worker says was not only unjust but also a clear violation of federal labor laws.

HR Specialist Claims Retaliation Over Medical Leave

Wendy Chamblee, an HR specialist who had worked for Northampton County for eight years, filed suit Tuesday, alleging that she was terminated after requesting short-term medical leave—a right protected under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

The lawsuit accuses the county of fabricating poor performance claims as a cover for firing her. In her termination letter, county officials cited past reprimands and disciplinary actions, but Chamblee says she was never previously written up or warned.

"These accusations in the letter were simply not true," her complaint states. "They were falsified in order to provide cover or pretext for [the director] to terminate plaintiff for having temporary health issues requiring a need for FMLA leave."

From Satisfactory Employee to Fired in Five Days

Chamblee, who joined the county in 2015 and was later promoted to HR specialist, had a clean record with performance reviews marking her as satisfactory or above.

However, her health took a downturn in February 2023, when her doctor advised her to take a week off work. When her condition did not improve, her doctor extended her leave twice, ultimately recommending she remain out through the end of March 2023.

On Feb. 17, 2023, Chamblee notified her HR director of the situation and requested information on FMLA leave. Instead of receiving guidance, she was terminated five days later.

Her manager allegedly claimed she had a history of disciplinary actions, yet Chamblee insists she was never formally evaluated during her eight months in the HR department—despite being supposed to receive performance reviews every three months.

Lawsuit Seeks Compensation for Alleged FMLA Violation

Chamblee’s legal battle now centers on whether Northampton County violated FMLA protections, which grant eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for medical reasons. Since she had not used any FMLA leave in the past year, Chamblee contends she had the full 12 weeks available when she was fired.

Her lawsuit seeks back pay, liquidated damages, compensation for financial losses, and attorney’s fees.

Legal Teams Yet to Comment

Chamblee is represented by Lawrence Wooden of Wooden Bowers PLLC.

Northampton County has yet to secure legal representation for the case, and neither party responded to requests for comment as of Wednesday.

As the NC County HR Worker lawsuit unfolds, the case could set a critical precedent for how public employers handle FMLA requests—and whether they can be held accountable for retaliation against employees seeking their legal rights.