Cliff Kaplan, 65, was in his sixteenth year working at a beverage distribution company in New Berlin when he was diagnosed with stage four esophageal cancer.

While he went through chemotherapy, he took unpaid leave through the company's Family Medical Leave Act policy, or FMLA. According to Kaplan, no one at his company discussed how long his leave would last or when he would be expected to return.

Twelve weeks later, in December 2024, Kaplan said, his manager called to inform him that his leave had ended two days ago, and that Kaplan needed to return to work immediately. Kaplan, who worked as a brand manager, said the call shocked him.

When he explained he wasn't physically able to return yet, his manager fired him, Kaplan said. Soon after, Kaplan received a brief termination letter that offered no chance to appeal.

"There was no discussion. There was no severance. There was no trying to find avenues to see if we could figure this out," Kaplan said.

As an older person, Kaplan doubts he can find another job with the same wage and benefits, including his pension, which he said he was two years away from receiving. He is unsure how he will dig himself out of more than $225,000 in medical bills.

Attorneys told Public Investigator that Kaplan's story demonstrates the importance of developing a clear plan for returning to work while managing a disability.

Although unfortunate, Kaplan's firing was likely legal, they said. No laws prevent an employer from terminating an employee...

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