Pregnancy Discrimination Claim Costly for Maternity Store
February 19, 2007The EEOC recently found that Mothers Work, Inc., doing business as Motherhood Maternity, illegally disciplined and ultimately fired an employee who it believed was pregnant. The company also allegedly refused to hire qualified female applicants because they were pregnant – a violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
The three-year consent decree requires the company to pay a total of $375,000 in damages, costs, and fees. The company must also adopt and distribute an anti-discrimination policy that specifically prohibits denying women employment opportunities due to pregnancy, train all Florida employees (current and future) on the new policy and federal employment discrimination laws, post a notice of resolution of the lawsuit, and report to EEOC twice annually regarding pregnancy discrimination complaints.
source: eeoc
How can you prevent this type of claim in your business?
Take time to read and understand the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
Provide training for every manager or supervisor who takes part in the hiring process to ensure that no unintentional discrimination is taking place.
Hippo & Fleming Law Offices can help:
We provide customizable training and workshops for business owners and managers. Contact our office for more information.
Whether you need an existing policy reviewed, or are just starting to think about writing an employee handbook, our attorneys can give you the legal guidance you need. Please contact us with any questions.
