UPDATE: Merck Now Awaits Jury Verdict -- In New Jersey Federal Court: On FMLA & Pregnancy Discrimination Claims

The long running pregnancy and FLMA Act case -- against Merck, and a few individual actors, including the former CIO -- has been handed to the jury, as of yesterday.

The jury asked questions about three of the judge's instructions, and then adjourned for the day at 5:30 PM EDT. They will resume deliberations once again at 9:30 AM on Monday, in Newark. Here's the relevant minute entry:

. . . .Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Stanley R. Chesler: Jury Trial held on 5/29/2015.

SUMMATIONS; CHARGE BY THE COURT; Jury retired at 3:15 p.m. to deliberate; All exhibits approved and moved into evidence; Jury returned for further instructions regarding Question #1 #2 & #3 at 5:20 p.m.; Ordered trial with jury adjourned at 5:30 p.m. until Monday, June 1, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. . . .

So, the fate of the plaintiff's claims is now in the hands of a jury. And so, we will wait, a bit nervously -- but patiently -- for word. A verdict could come at any time next week.