Medical Laboratory Accused of Firing and Discriminating Against Employee Due to Pregnancy

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently filed a lawsuit against a medical laboratory in Alpharetta, Georgia alleging that the lab fired an employee after she became pregnant. The medical laboratory will pay $50,000 to the fired employee and agree to comply with certain provisions outlined in the settlement.

The EEOC lawsuit alleged that Bakotic Pathology Associates, LLC discriminated and retaliated against an employee who was experiencing pregnancy-related symptoms. According to the lawsuit, the employee was fired while she was on approved medical leave and receiving short-term disability benefits. This occurred shortly after she complained of pregnancy discrimination to the company’s Chief Operating Officer.

The company claimed that it fired the employee for failing to report to work for two days without notice when she sought to return to work after her pregnancy-related medical leave. The EEOC contended that this was merely a pretext and that the employee faced discrimination over her pregnancy and was retaliated against for reporting the discrimination.

In order to settle the lawsuit, the EEOC required the employer to pay $50,000 to the employee for discrimination. It also required her employer to sign a two-year consent degree in which the company will be required to provide its employees with specialized training on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, particularly as it relates to prohibitions against sex discrimination and retaliation. The company will be required to circulate Title VII policies and its internal complaint reporting procedures to its employees. It is further required to report complaints of pregnancy discrimination to the EEOC during the entire term of the consent decree. The company will also be required to post a notice that describes the general requirements of Title VII at each of its facilities.

Pregnancy discrimination under the law 

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is an amendment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits employers from discriminating against an employee on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Pregnant women must be treated in the same manner as all other employees under the law. This means that they cannot be fired based on pregnancy, passed up for promotion, demoted, transferred, or harassed in the workplace. Further, employers cannot refuse to hire an employee based on the fact that she is pregnant.

In cases where a pregnant employee cannot perform her job duties because of her pregnancy, the employer must treat her the same way they would any employee with a temporary disability. This includes making reasonable accommodations for the employee so that she can do her job. The employer can ask the employee for a doctor’s note indicating that they are fit to return to work.

Talk to an Atlanta, GA Sex Discrimination Attorney Today 

The Forsythe Law Firm, LLC represents the interests of employees in employment discrimination cases. If you have been unlawfully fired, demoted, transferred, or refused employment based on your race, religion, creed, gender, sex, nation of origin, familial status, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics, call our Atlanta employment lawyers today, and we can begin investigating your claim right away.

Source:

jdsupra.com/legalnews/bako-pays-50-000-to-settle-eeoc-9188302/