Ford Sued for Pregnancy Discrimination at Illinois Plant

Ford Motor Company has been charged in a federal lawsuit with violating the law when it made a conditional offer of hire to a pregnant applicant but failed to hire her even though she was qualified and passed a company physical.

In its lawsuit filed in Chicago, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleged Ford violated federal employment law when it refused to hire a pregnant applicant to work at its stamping plant in Chicago Heights, Illinois, due to her pregnancy.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, a female applicant received a conditional offer of hire in June 2019 to work at the Chicago Heights stamping plant, subject to passing a physical, drug test, and background check.

During her pre-employment physical with a Ford physician in August 2019, the woman disclosed she was pregnant. Ford’s doctor cleared her for hire, but Ford did not schedule her for her first day of work. The woman repeatedly called Ford to find out when she would begin working and was given various answers, until she was told in late October 2019 Ford was no longer hiring.

This alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which makes it unlawful to discriminate against applicants or employees because of their sex, including pregnancy.

The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Ford Motor Co., Civil Action No. 1:21-cv-05089) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its voluntary conciliation process.

The EEOC seeks back pay, and compensatory and punitive damages as well as injunctive relief.

Source: EEOC

Topics Lawsuits Illinois