EEOC SUES ACCESSIBLE PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES FOR PREGNANCY DISCRIMINATION
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sent this bulletin at 08/24/2023 01:31 PM EDT
EEOC Baltimore Field Office CONTACT: Debra M. Lawrence, Regional Attorney
George H. Fallon Federal Bld. (410) 801-6691
31 Hopkins Plaza, Suite 1432 Eric S. Thompson, Senior Trial Attorney
Baltimore, MD 21201-2525 (410) 801-6696
1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2023
EEOC SUES ACCESSIBLE PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES FOR PREGNANCY DISCRIMINATION
Physical Therapy Company Failed to Hire Applicant Because of Pregnancy, Says EEOC
BALTIMORE – Accessible Physical Therapy Services, a Silver Spring, Maryland physical therapy practice, violated federal law when it rescinded a job offer after learning the applicant was pregnant, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it announced Monday.
According to the lawsuit, a pregnant woman who had recently earned a master’s degree in occupational therapy interviewed for employment and was offered a job. Prior to accepting the offer, she disclosed she was pregnant and asked the hiring manager about the company’s pregnancy leave policy. He did not immediately respond. When she followed up with him the following day, he informed her the company was no longer hiring. A short time later, the company hired another student from the applicant’s graduating class.
Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, including pregnancy. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Civil Action No. 23-cv-02281, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The EEOC seeks injunctive relief prohibiting discriminatory employment practices based on sex or pregnancy, as well as lost wages, compensatory and punitive damages and other affirmative relief.
“Pregnancy discrimination is unfortunately common. Twenty percent of women who have been pregnant report they experienced discrimination based on pregnancy, and 12% of American adults report they have witnessed pregnancy discrimination in the workplace,” said EEOC Philadelphia District Director Jamie R. Williamson. “The Philadelphia District fully investigates every complaint of pregnancy discrimination, and we are thorough in seeking redress where warranted.”
“The Philadelphia District has always vindicated the rights of pregnant employees and applicants, and under the recently enacted Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, our enforcement efforts will continue,” said EEOC Philadelphia Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence.
The EEOC’s Baltimore Field Office is one of four offices in the EEOC Philadelphia District Office, which has jurisdiction over Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and parts of New Jersey, and Ohio. Attorneys in the EEOC Philadelphia District Office also prosecute discrimination cases in Washington, D.C. and parts of Virginia.
For more information about pregnancy discrimination, visit: www.eeoc.gov/pregnancy-discrimination.
For more information about the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), visit: www.eeoc.gov/what-you-should-know-about-pregnant-workers-fairness-act
The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.
For more information about the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), visit: www.eeoc.gov/what-you-should-know-about-pregnant-workers-fairness-act
The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.
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