In the case of Tracy Ragsdale v. Wolverine World Wide, Inc., 2001, the U.S Supreme Court dealt with a dispute over unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Ragsdale had taken a six-month medical leave due to cancer treatment which was more than what FMLA required employers to provide. After her condition worsened and she requested additional time off, Wolverine denied it stating that they had already provided more than their legal obligation. The court ruled in favor of Wolverine World Wide Inc., holding that an employer's failure to notify an employee about their rights under FMLA does not extend those rights beyond statutory limits set by Congress. This decision clarified that while employers are obligated to inform employees about their FMLA rights, failing to do so doesn't mean they have unlimited obligations for providing leave.

In the dissenting opinion for Tracy Ragsdale, et al. v. Wolverine World Wide, Inc., it was argued that the majority's decision to uphold a Department of Labor regulation limiting an employer’s ability to count leave time against Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitlements unless explicitly designated as such at the start is unjustified. The dissenters believed this ruling could potentially lead employers to be more restrictive in granting leaves of absence due to fear of inadvertently providing additional FMLA benefits beyond what is required by law. They also pointed out that there was no evidence suggesting Congress intended for such strict notification requirements when they passed FMLA legislation; therefore, upholding these regulations may not align with legislative intent.