If you took a legally protected form of leave, like Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave or leave guaranteed you by a written employment contract, they cannot demote you or otherwise take adverse or negative action against you for using the leave. If they do, contact the department of labor to file a complaint (FMLA) or sue for breach of contract, as appropriateIf it was not legally or contractually guaranteed leave, however, you do not have any job protection for or from using leave and may be freely demoted.Whether it was protected leave or unprotected you may be demoted for provable reasons not related to the leave, such as documented wrongdoing at work.