He took FMLA leave for his dying mother — and alleges retaliation followed him back
Employee alleges he was fired after prayer was mistaken for sleeping — following FMLA leave for dying mother
An Indiana insurer allegedly fired an employee after co-workers mistook his prayer for sleeping — months after he returned from FMLA leave.
Cameron Nasser worked as an investment operations analyst at American United Life Insurance Company, also known as OneAmerica Financial, starting in May 2023. By all accounts in a federal complaint filed on March 12, he performed his duties without issue — until life intervened.
On April 20, 2024, Nasser's mother was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. He was granted FMLA leave beginning May 30, 2024, to care for her during her last illness. He returned to work on August 19, 2024, after she died.
What he came back to, according to the case filing (Nasser v. American United Life Insurance Company, No. 1:26-cv-481, S.D. Ind.), looked nothing like the job he left. A new employee had been hired into his role. His responsibilities had been degraded. His manager moved his desk right next to hers — and then refused to speak to him.
What followed was a pattern of escalation. His manager began issuing performance improvement plans over what Nasser describes as very minor, pretextual issues, each one accompanied by threats of termination. When he brought his concerns to the company's HR department — telling them he believed his manager was building a case to fire him — he alleges he was warned that taking any action would invite retaliation from his manager.
Then came January 23, 2025. Nasser was praying at his desk when two co-workers complained to his manager that he was asleep. His explanation was disregarded, and he was let go the next day.
The case also includes a national origin discrimination claim under Title VII. Nasser alleges his manager learned his family was from Syria and held bias tied to a long-standing tension in Terre Haute, Indiana, where both families have roots — a dynamic that has included disparaging references to a so-called "Syrian Mafia."
During his employment, the filing states, Nasser never received a raise. His bonus and promotion were taken away. After his termination, the company contested his application for unemployment insurance, delaying his benefits for several months.
Nasser is seeking reinstatement, lost wages, lost benefits, damages for emotional distress, and liquidated and punitive damages. He has demanded a jury trial. No determination has been made in the case.
For HR professionals, this is one worth watching — not for the law it may set, but for the mirror it holds up. The allegation that HR discouraged an employee from raising a retaliation concern is the kind of detail that should give every people leader pause. It speaks directly to the tension HR navigates daily between protecting the organization and protecting its people.
How a company handles the return from FMLA leave, documents performance issues, and responds when someone raises a red flag — all of it can end up as evidence in federal court.
