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.
