Summary judgment over firing gives pause

Federal Courts

By Jay S. Judge

Jay S. Judge, a name partner of Judge, James, Hoban & Fisher LLC in Park Ridge, is a defense attorney who specializes in trials, appeals and insurance coverage. Judge graduated with honors from The John Marshall Law School and served as editor-in-chief of the school’s law review.

Posted October 25, 2016 1:27 PM

Today’s case offers insight into the issue of an employer’s motivation for firing an employee.The question before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was whether Ford Motor Co. fired James Baptist in retaliation for his workers’ compensation claim or for absence from work for three days in violation of company rules. Baptist v. Ford Motor Co., 837 F.3d 599 (7th Cir. 2016).Baptist was a forklift operator at Ford assembly plant in Chicago. He inadvertently drove his forklift into a pillar, injuring his …

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