Texas Dentist Office Settles Federal Pregnancy Discrimination Case for $20K

Federal employment officials say the Texas-based dental business will pay $20,000 and provide other relief to settle a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit.

According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC’s) suit, Smiley Dental Walnut hired a new front desk receptionist in May 2017. When she disclosed her pregnancy to human resources approximately a month later, she was told that she needed to inform her supervisor.

The EEOC said that when the front desk receptionist told her supervisor about her pregnancy, the supervisor became upset and stated that she would no longer train the new employee because she was going to be absent after giving birth. The supervisor fired the front desk receptionist during this conversation.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in the workplace, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, Case No 3:18-CV-02552, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settle­ment. The EEOC sought back pay and other damages, as well as injunctive relief, including an order barring similar violations in the future.

The two-year consent decree settling the suit entered by U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer prohibits future discrimination and retaliation. In addition to the monetary relief, it requires the employer to provide annual training on pregnancy discrimination and other forms of discrimination. It also imposes discipline up to termination of any manager who discriminates based on pregnancy or permits such conduct to occur under his or her supervision.

The decree also requires that Smiley Dental Walnut distribute and post a notice about discrimination based on sex and set forth procedures for reporting discrimination.

Source: EEOC

Topics USA Texas