Pregnancy Discrimination Is Illegal

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Kurt Bluemel, a commercial nursery for failing to accommodate a pregnant worker who needed leave. The lawsuit states the pregnant worker requested maternity leave with the expectation that she would resume work after giving birth. When she attempted to returned to work, she was told that no work was available. However, the lawsuit alleges that the employer hired new, non-pregnant employees before and after her attempted return. This conduct would violate the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which prohibits discrimination based on pregnancy. See EEOC v. Kurt Bluemel, No. 24-cv-2816 (D. Md.).