Supreme Court Gives Second Chance in Pregnancy Discrimination Case

The United States Supreme Court has resurrected the case of Peggy Young, a former UPS driver who claimed to have suffered workplace discrimination during her pregnancy in 2006.

Young, a Maryland native, asked UPS upon learning of her pregnancy for lightened work duties to accommodate the pregnancy after urging from a midwife who recommended that Young refrain from lifting packages weighing more than 20 pounds. UPS denied her request, prompting the lawsuit and Young’s subsequent loss. The Supreme Court decided to hear the case and ruled that Young deserves another trial.

Is Pregnancy Treated the Same Way as Disabilities in the Workplace?

Supreme Court justices argued over whether the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, required employers to accommodate for pregnant employees in the same way that they would for an employee with a recognized disability.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has made it clear to employers that pregnant employees share the same right to accommodations as employees with other forms of disability. UPS began accommodating for pregnant employees in January of 2015.

If you have become pregnant and your employer tasks you with duties that may endanger your health or that of your child, talk to an employment law attorney. Someone well-versed in the complex field of discrimination law could provide you with a huge advantage should you decide to pursue action against your employer.

Atkerson Law – Dallas Employment Attorney

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/25/usa-court-pregnancy-idUSL2N0WR0YC20150325