Pregnancy Discrimination Is Illegal

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently settled a lawsuit that it had filed against a company that leases and sells storage containers.  The EEOC's lawsuit claimed that the company hired an employee in early April 2018 and gave her a positive 30-day review on May 10, 2018.  At the time it hired her, it was not apparent that the employee was pregnant.  On May 14, 2018, however, less than one week after the employee disclosed to the company that she was pregnant, the company terminated her employment.  One day after this, the company hired a non-pregnant replacement.  This alleged conduct is a violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees because of their pregnancy.  See EEOC v. Cassone Leasing, Inc., Civil Action No. 2:19-cv-3721 (E.D.N.Y.).