Terri Estepp, former Howell, Michigan bank manager at Huntington National Bank claims being fired after using legally entitled, ‘Family Medical Leave Act’ (FMLA) to care for her dying daughter. The bank insists the 30 year plus employee was fired for another matter.
A Michigan mother has sued her former employer after claiming they fired her for taking federally appropriated leave to care for her dying daughter.
Terri Estepp, 51, said she was fired from her job at the Huntington National Bank, Howell branch just 10 days before her adult daughter, Samantha, died from breast cancer in 2024.
Estepp’s lawsuit claimed she attempted to take time off to be with Samantha through the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), only for the bank to fire her instead the suit alleges.
When a mother is forced to choose between her dying daughter and employer
Leading up to the sacking, had worked for the financial institution for nearly 30 years. At the time of her firing, Estepp was the branch manager at the Howell outlet.
FMLA is a federal mandated law requiring covered employers to provide workers with 12 weeks each year of job-protected, unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons.
The former worker’s suit alleges Estepp was a decorated and dedicated employee who was retaliated against for trying to use FMLA.
Estepp’s daughter, Samantha, 31, was living in California when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2023.
The mom said she used all of her own vacation time and Huntington’s Caretaker Time Off program to travel to California and be with Samantha for her treatment.
‘I would go out there and help her with the chemo treatments and different things,’ Estepp told ClickonDetroit. ‘I used a lot of PTO time because I had vacation time. I’d been there for almost 30 years, so I had plenty of time.’
Suit alleges Huntington Bank wrongfully denying worker FMLA benefits.
Samantha’s condition worsened, leading to her being hospitalized and Estepp taking more time off from work to look after her daughter.
Estepp took some days off through Huntington’s Caretaker Time Off program before eventually filing for the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Estepp used four weeks of FMLA time to take care of her daughter from March 27 to April 2, 2024.
‘Ever the committed employee, Ms. Estepp made the decision to return to work and was back at her desk on Monday, April 29, 2024,’ the lawsuit said.
‘But Sam’s prognosis again worsened, so she called her mother and asked her to return to California.’
In total, Estepp had been out of the office from March 27 to April 26, 2024, the Livingston Daily reported.
On April 30, Estepp said she communicated to her District Manager, Michelle Powers, that she would still need more FMLA leave to care for her daughter.
Estepp despite her 30 year service at the bank was abruptly fired later that day, according to the lawsuit. She requested a reason for the termination, but claimed she never received one.
‘I told my employer I needed to go back to my kid. She needed me, and they showed up that day and they fired me,’ Estepp told WZZM.
‘I was in complete shock. I was not ready for anything like this. I requested medical leave or Family Medical Leave Act.
Estepp in a federally filed suit alleges Huntington retaliating against her for using unpaid time she was legally entitled to, with Huntington Bank wrongfully denying her FMLA benefits.
Estepp’s attorneys say the fired worker was a decorated employee who was wrongfully terminated.
‘Throughout her service, she was consistently recognized as a top achiever, rightly so, as she devoted herself wholly to her job,’ the lawsuit said.
‘Her personnel file is filled with decades of performance reviews referencing her own achievements as well as “the success of [her] branch” and her ability to bring out “the success of her colleagues.”‘
Her lawsuit is seeking an unspecified amount of relief for economic damages, liquidated damages and attorney fees for the FMLA violations.
‘[Huntington] disregarded the FMLA’s mandates and wrongfully denied [Estepp] FMLA benefits,’ the lawsuit stated.
‘[The bank’s] wrongful denials of FMLA are willful FMLA violations committed in bad faith.
‘Huntington is a sophisticated company well aware of its duties under the FMLA. It failed and refused to honor those obligations.’
Reiterated Estepp: ‘I want people to know that what they did was wrong, so they don’t do this to someone else.’
Huntington National Bank denied the claim Estepp was fired for using FMLA, insisting her termination was for another matter.
‘We were saddened to learn of her daughter’s passing and extend our condolences to Ms. Estepp and her family,’ a bank spokesperson told the dailymail.
‘While Huntington Bank does not comment on active litigation, we are committed to compliance with all employment laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, and we acted appropriately in this matter.
‘Ms. Estepp’s departure from Huntington Bank was unrelated to an FMLA leave of absence.’
