Posted in Uncategorized on March 2, 2013
A corporation operating day-care facilities has agreed to settle a pregnancy discrimination claim filed by a pregnant employee:
The EEOC had alleged that Adventures in Learning discriminated against a pregnant employee at one of its locations and forced her to quit when it refused to allow her to work after her fourth month of pregnancy. Adventures in Learning opted to settle the case shortly after it was filed. U.S. District Court Judge George M. Marovich of the Northern District of Illinois entered a consent decree resolving the lawsuit on Feb. 22. The decree provides $31,000 in monetary relief to the victim and requires Adventures in Learning to report to the EEOC for the next two years on all employee complaints of pregnancy discrimination. The company must also train all its employees on the prevention and eradication of pregnancy discrimination, and also adopt a new policy prohibiting pregnancy discrimination.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prevents an employer from treating pregnant employees differently than non-pregnant employees. In Oklahoma, the state legislature has recently amended the Oklahoma Anti-Discrimination Act to specifically include liability for pregnancy discrimination. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act does not, however, require employers to provide pregnant employees with any accommodations, it merely requires that it treat pregnant employees as if they were not pregnant. For these reasons, Oklahoma employers should review their policies for employment practices that are not blind to pregnancy. Similarly, Oklahomas seeking employment who are or may become pregnant should consult with the employer regarding their employment practices. If you have questions about pregnancy discrimination, or the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, contact the attorneys at Bryan & Terrill. More here: Adventures in Learning to Pay $31,000 to Settle EEOC Pregnancy Discrimination Case