Former Waitress at Addison Restaurant Wins Pregnancy Discrimination Suit By Dan Atkerson on September 09, 2015

A former waitress at the popular Addison restaurant, Arthur’s Restaurant and Bar, has been awarded $20,000 after winning a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit. The suit claimed that the restaurant wrongfully terminated the woman’s employment towards the end of her pregnancy back in August 2012.

The mother says she was told by the restaurant owner that she was “starting to show” and that she was fired soon after when her supervisors told her she should start her maternity leave early. The restaurant has continually stated that their actions were always out of concern for the employee, her pregnancy, and the health of the baby.

The court decided that the alleged actions of the restaurant violated the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, which states that an employer may fire, or refuse to hire, an employee due to pregnancy or plans to become pregnant. The amendment also says that an employee cannot be forced by an employer to take maternity leave when they are still capable of working.

Also, as part of the settlement, Arthur’s Restaurant and Bar will be educating employees through training and notices at each of their locations about pregnancy and gender discrimination in the future. The court also mandates that the restaurant chain reports every pregnancy and gender discrimination complaint they get to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The EEOC has resolved more than 50 pregnancy discrimination cases in the past four years, resulting in more than $3.5 million in damages, as well as other case-specific relief, being awarded to victims.

If you feel you may be a victim of discrimination, tell us your story. Dan A. Atkerson works very hard to ensure that victims of workplace discrimination are awarded what is due to them.

Atkerson Law Firm – Dallas employment lawyer