Vigilant and diligent about enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed three new pregnancy discrimination cases within the month of August. These cases, the defendants of which are companies based in Arizona, Maryland and Texas, essentially allege that the companies fired women after finding out that they were pregnant.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at the facts and progress of these cases.
Latest Pregnancy Discrimination Cases Filed by Federal Authorities
Among the latest pregnancy discrimination cases filed by the EEOC include:
A case filed against the Phoenix-Based Moonshine Group, LLC – In this case, a manager for a restaurant owned by the Moonshine Group alleged stopped scheduling a bartender for shifts after she confirmed that she was pregnant. The bartender had reportedly worked at the restaurant for nearly one year prior to this and repeatedly had tried to get shifts after disclosing her pregnancy, only to have her messages ignored/disregarded.
Commenting on this case, EEOC Phoenix Regional Attorney Mary Jo O’Neill stated:
Discrimination against pregnant employees is a serious problem and results in women being afforded fewer career opportunities… Women must be allowed to work and start families while remaining in their careers without fearing for their jobs.
- A case filed against the Tempe-Based Avalona Enterprises, Inc. (dba Loafers Lounge) – In this pregnancy discrimination case, a cocktail server who had been working at the Lounge for about two years informed her manager that she was pregnant. After repeatedly being told that her pregnancy could be a liability for the Lounge, the woman was then told that she would not be able to work there after her seventh month of pregnancy.Remarking on this case, EEOC Philadelphia District Director Spencer H. Lewis, Jr. has stated:Common decency and the law require that pregnant employees be allowed to continue working as long as they are able to perform their jobs…Ms. Terzi was able to do her job, but was fired based on speculative fears and biases against pregnant workers.
- A case filed against the Baltimore-Based Arthur’s Restaurant & Bar – This case also involved a cocktail server who, during the seventh month of her pregnancy, was told by the company that she need to begin her maternity leave. While company tried to claim that they pushed the woman to take this leave out of concern for her, the woman was later fired from the restaurant after the owner remarked that she was “starting to show.” Unlike the other cases discussed above, this one has been settled, with the restaurant agreeing to pay $20,000 to resolve this case.Commenting on this case and settlement, Robert A. Canino, regional attorney for the EEOC Dallas District Office, stated:Arthur’s arbitrary decision to terminate Ms. Todd simply because she was nearing the delivery of her child was an outdated approach resulting in an unnecessary denial of income important to an expanding family…Expectant mothers should not be fired simply because of unsubstantiated employer fears about ‘a liability.’ It is quite natural and certainly reasonable for pregnant employees to continue working as long as they are able and willing.
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Contact an Atlanta Discrimination Lawyer at the Law Firm of Barrett & Farahany, LLP
If you have been the target of pregnancy discrimination or any type of discrimination in the workplace, you can turn to the experienced Atlanta discrimination lawyer at the Law Firm of Barrett & Farahany, LLP, LLP for aggressive legal advocacy and the highest quality legal services.
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