ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Nineteen former correction officers filed a federal class-action lawsuit accusing New York State of firing them during legally protected medical and family leave. The case, filed on May 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, accused the state of violating the Family and Medical Leave Act when it terminated their jobs and benefits in March.

Under FMLA, workers in eligible jobs can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, protected leave for personal or family medical reasons. Employers have to maintain health coverage during leave and reinstate the workers afterward. The lawsuit—available to read at the bottom of this story—alleged that the state ignored those rules and then even denied them access to temporary healthcare, unemployment, and retir

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