Labor and Employment Shareholder Kelly H. Kolb Talks to the Daily Business Review on Judge Pollack’s Request for Paid Suspension

Broward County Court Judge Gisele Pollack, who was recently removed from the bench after a second incident of presiding in court while drunk, has requested reconsideration for invoking the Americans Disabilities Act to support a paid suspension, reported the Daily Business Review (DBR). The Florida Supreme Court first suspended Judge Pollack without pay on May 23.

While Pollack’s attorneys are noting that alcoholism is recognized as a disability under the federal law, Kelly H. Kolb told the DBR that the ADA would have limited benefit for her because the Act is “not something that allows you to stay home with pay and not perform any functions.” The ADA is defined by having some type of alteration in the work environment.

Kolb noted that if the Judge has any vacation time or has accumulated time off from work, she could use that. "Absent that, she may have some rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act," he said. 

Read the full article – “While Judge Pollack Receives Treatment for Alcoholism, She Wants Taxpayers to Pay Her Salary” (Daily Business Review, May 29, 2014)