Benefits August 6, 2003

EEOC Pours Up Pregnancy Discrimination Suit

August 6, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A Long Island, New York restaurant and brewery has been charged with pregnancy discrimination in connection with the dismissal of an expecting mother.
Reported by

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed the discrimination suit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York against John Harvard’s Brew House. In this case, the EEOC says the discrimination in this case was so glaring and so blatant it had no choice but to file suit, according to a news release.

According to the suit,Jennifer James was a fast mover in the management food chain at the restaurant, going from a server, to a supervisor and then to manager-in-training. However, in May of 2001, she informed the company of her pregnancy, bringing her career movement to a screeching halt.

At first, the restaurant allegedly told James to “consider her options”and that “it was going to be a challenge to be a single parent and to continue the job.”When she insisted on continuing with her pregnancy, her management training was discontinued and the company transferred her to a position in Connecticut. She was ultimately terminated from her employment in August 2001.

The suit seekstwo years back pay, as well as awards for compensatory and punitive damages, an order requiring the company to implement policies and procedures against discrimination and a permanent injunction against discrimination.

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