Can they fire me for needing time off for serious medical conditions?

[woodhouse]

I live in Florida and work as a bank teller. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and, since then, have had to take time off for surgery and complications. My employer has told me that, "Normally with this much time off, we would have terminated you, but we are trying to work with you and keep you on staff."

Now, I am having more medical problems and am needing more time off for tests for possible further cancer problems and I believe that they may try to terminate me. Can they legally do this over legitimate serious medical conditions?

If so, what is the process that must be followed and what assistance am I entitled to?

 

[loku]

Termination for illness

Most people are employees at will and have no employment contracts or union contracts that protect them. That means that a boss can fire them at will for any legal reason other than discrimination on the basis of such things such as race, color, creed, etc. or no reason at all. If there is an employment contract, or a union, that's different.

Florida has no statute that contradicts the general rule as stated above, so it seems that they could fire you under the conditions you stated.