Union Pacific routinely hires private investigators to check out employees' medical leave claims and then fires anyone who happens to leave their house while out on leave, according to a lawsuit filed against the railroad.
The lawyer who last month filed one of the first lawsuits in a case like this in Texas said this practice is another example of how the railroads keep the pressure on train crews to remain on call 24-7 while making them afraid to take unpaid time off they're supposed to get under the Family Medical Leave Act.
