Healthcare Services Provider to Pay $88,000 to Settle EEOC Pregnancy Discrimination Suit

Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Pennsylvania-based nationwide provider of support services to health care institutions, will pay $88,422, reinstate a fired employee and furnish other relief to settle a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the company fired a housekeeping employee working at Arkansas State Hospital in Little Rock after discovering she was pregnant. 

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

Besides the monetary relief and reinstatement for the employee, the two-year consent decree enjoins the company from discriminating against any female employee based upon her sex, including pregnancy, childbirth or any related condition, and enjoins defendant from retaliating against an employee for complaining about perceived discrimination.

In addition, the decree requires the company to comply with anti-discrimination laws; amend its equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination policy to include specific reference to pregnancy, childbirth, or any related condition; conduct pregnancy discrimination and retaliation training for all managers and supervisors; and post notices about employment discrimination laws and this lawsuit. The company must also submit semi-annual reports to ensure compliance with the law.

“Employers cannot refuse to allow women to work based on discriminatory stereotypes about pregnancy. They must treat pregnant women just as they would any other employee,” said Faye Williams, regional attorney in the EEOC’s Memphis District Office, which has jurisdiction over Arkansas, Tennessee and portions of Mississippi. “We are extremely pleased the parties were able to quickly resolve this matter without protracted litigation and that this employee will return to work in the job she previously held.”

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.

For more information on employment discrimination, or to protect your company from potential liability, please contact Berkshire Associates at 800.882.8904 or email bai@berkshireassociates.com.