Pregnancy can be a wonderful time in a woman’s life. Women in Houston and across Texas who remain employed during their pregnancy should not be treated unfairly because of their condition or provided a reasonable accommodation when requested. Unfortunately, however, this type of discrimination against women who are with child exists, and some businesses may make poor decisions regarding them. Some companies may go as far as to wrongfully terminate an employee on the basis that she is pregnant.
A woman who was hired by a dentist’s office as an independent contractor is claiming that she was unjustly terminated. After she alerted her employer of her pregnancy, she noticed that things began to change. She claims that, in the two years that she worked for the practice prior to her announcement, she did not receive any complaints about her work.
In her claim, the plaintiff says that, following her pregnancy announcement, she was blamed by her employer for complaints made by patients about the practice’s services. She alleges that the problems that were being presented were not a result of anything she had done. Approximately four months after the notice of her pregnancy, she was reportedly fired.
As a result of her termination, the woman has filed a discrimination claim in the Houston Division of the United States District Court. She is seeking a total of $10 million in damages, which would also encompass her related legal costs and fees. Pregnant women who believe that they have been treated unjustly due to their condition may elect to file a claim against their employer. If they are successful in the case, they may receive related damages, lost wages and be returned to work, if applicable.
Source: The Southeast Texas Record, “Houston woman files $10M discrimination claim against dental practice“, Ben Hart, June 25, 2014
