So, my friend works for a clinical research group. He applied for FMLA and received written approval for a month’s absence and also got approval from his direct supervisor (all written. We have the request form with the signature of both my friend and his supervisor). HR is supposed to respond within 10 days (as noted on the back of the approval request). HR then called up his doctors and strongholded them into reducing his month to 2 weeks. HR also didn’t deny the request until over a month after the approval request was signed by him and the supervisor. HR denied the FMLA for a month and approved 2 weeks.
My friend is unable to go to work as he isn’t even in the state right now. HR’s denial didn’t come through until after the date the FMLA was supposed to start and so he already left the state. They wanted him back today and are now telling him to come in or resign.
This seems super sketchy and feels like a violation of something (FMLA or maybe HIPAA for strongarming his physician to changing the month to 2 weeks).
What can he do?