This Law Firm Publication by Jackson Lewis P.C. discusses the US District Court for the Northern District of Alabama's recent decision in Franks v. Indian Rivers Mental Health Center. The court in Franks dismissed the plaintiff's retaliatory discharge claim under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), holding collateral estoppel barred reconsideration of the reason for her termination because the referee at an earlier unemployment benefits hearing found the employer had a legitimate reason for discharging her. The court's decision highlights the potential risks involved in failing to appear at, and the findings of, administrative proceedings when the same issues may later be litigated in court.