Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-almd-3_04-cv-01071/USCOURTS-almd-3_04-cv-01071-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 29:2601 Family and Medical Leave Act

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IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA, EASTERN DIVISION

JOSHUAH SPRAGGINS, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

v. ) CIVIL ACTION NO.

) 3:04cv1071-T

KNAUF FIBER GLASS GmbH, ) (WO)

Inc., a German )

corporation, )

)

Defendant. )

ORDER

For the following reasons, it is ORDERED that

plaintiff Joshuah Spraggins’s motion for summary judgment

(Doc. No. 24) is denied:

(1) As explained in greater detail in this court’s

order on defendant Knauf Fiber Glass GmbH, Inc.’ motion

for summary judgment, there is a genuine issue of

material fact as to whether it would have been

practicable for Spraggins to provide notice of his

absence one hour before his shift began on August 7,

2004. This question is critical to the determination of

Case 3:04-cv-01071-MHT-DRB Document 45 Filed 11/21/05 Page 1 of 3
1. Evidentiary submission in support of plaintiff’s

motion for summary judgment (Doc. No. 26), Ex. EE,

Deposition of Gene Evans, pp. 44-45.

2. Id., Ex. DD, Deposition of Joshuah Spraggins, p.

142.

3. Response in opposition to plaintiff’s motion for

summary judgment (Doc. No. 30), Ex. L, Deposition of

Linda Wall, p. 23.

2

whether Knauf’s customary call-in policy applied to

Spraggins while he was on leave under the Family Medical

Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA).

(2) An employer may require that a request for FMLA

leave to care for a spouse with a serious health

condition be supported by a certification issued by the

spouse’s doctor. 29 U.S.C.A. § 2612(a). Knauf required

Spraggins to provide such certification for his absences

on August 5, 6, and 7, 2004.1

 Spraggins claims he

delivered doctors notes to Linda Wall, who worked in

Knauf’s human resources department,2

 while Wall denies

ever receiving the doctors notes.3

 Therefore, a genuine

issue of material fact exists as to whether Spraggins

complied with Knauf’s certification request.

Case 3:04-cv-01071-MHT-DRB Document 45 Filed 11/21/05 Page 2 of 3
4. Appendix to defendant’s motion for summary

judgment (Doc. No. 23), Ex. I, Medical Records of Jessica

Spraggins.

5. Evidentiary submission in support of plaintiff’s

motion for summary judgment (Doc. No. 26), Ex. CC,

Deposition of Jessica Spraggins, pp. 39, 56.

(3) An employee is entitled to leave in order to care

for a sick spouse under the FMLA only if the spouse is

suffering from a “serious health condition.” 29 U.S.C.A.

§ 2612(a)(1)(C). Medical records of Spraggins’s wife

indicate that she was not bleeding heavily and was not in

pain on August 5 and 6, 2004,4

 while she contends the

medical records are incorrect.5

 Therefore, a genuine

issue of material fact exists as to whether she was

suffering from a serious medical condition on August 5

and 6, 2004. 

DONE, this the 21st day of November, 2005.

_____________________________ /s/ Myron H. Thompson

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 

Case 3:04-cv-01071-MHT-DRB Document 45 Filed 11/21/05 Page 3 of 3