Ex-OSU employee says he was fired for taking parental leave

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A former Oregon State University employee has filed a lawsuit saying he was fired because he took parental leave.

Joseph McQuillin was assistant director of facilities maintenance and custodial manager in the university’s department of recreational sports when his wife gave birth to premature twins in 2017, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Eugene Wednesday, his wife and twins required extended medical care so McQuillin filed for protected medical leave followed by sick child leave, which OSU approved.

According to the lawsuit, McQuillin communicated about it with his direct supervisor, associate director Bill Callender. In January 2019, McQuillin returned to work. According to the lawsuit, Callender told McQuillin that his medical leave had “left people in the lurch.”

Callender also told McQuillin that Leah Dorothy, the director of recreational sports, was stripping him of his supervisory duties and removing him from the team of directors. The court documents state this appeared to be in retaliation for McQuillin’s taking family leave.

The lawsuit also alleges an aspect of gender discrimination, arguing McQuillin was treated differently as a father taking medical leave.

In June 2019, Callender told McQuillin that Dorothy was discharging him. The lawsuit says McQuillin was wrongfully terminated, asks for economic damages and a jury trial.

“We are aware of this lawsuit and fully dispute its allegations,” Steve Clark, OSU Vice President of University Relations and Marketing, told OPB. “OSU takes seriously its commitment to non-discrimination and applies its leave policies and practices equitably for all genders.”

Clark said OSU adheres to the federal Family Medical Leave Act, Oregon family leave law and other university and union policies. The university adheres to laws that prohibit retaliation against an employee because of family medical leave, he said.