Employers Beware: Intermittent FMLA Absences Not Subject to “Proof of Need”

On January 27, 2017, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision that provides a cautionary tale to employers about seeking documentation from an employee on intermittent FMLA leave. In Diamond v. Hospice of Florida Keys, Inc., Case No. 15-15716 (11th Circuit, Jan. 27, 217), the Court held that an employer’s request for “proof of need” related to an employee’s intermittent absence was evidence of interference with the employee’s FMLA rights and thus precluded summary judgment for the employer.