Retaliation for Taking Pregnancy Leave
Retaliation for Pregnancy Leave: Julie's StoryJulie, an outside sales representative at a Massachusetts print supply company, faced a troubling situation during her pregnancy and post-birth period. When she interviewed for the job, Julie was pregnant but hadn't yet disclosed her pregnancy. Her manager later conveyed that the role was unsuitable for women with children, making her uneasy about revealing her pregnancy.
After eventually sharing her pregnancy news, Julie was told by her employer that it didn't sit well with the owner that she had taken the job while pregnant. The situation escalated when, during her hospital stay after childbirth, her manager offered her a desk job instead of her field role, claiming that "being on the road was not conducive to having a family." Julie declined the offer. Upon returning from a brief maternity leave, she had to miss a few workdays when her child fell ill. Shortly afterward, she was placed on a performance improvement plan and subsequently terminated. This left Julie, a single mother with a young child facing health issues, in a vulnerable financial and emotional state. Solution We filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), later transitioning it to state court. At the time, the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave Act and the Earned Sick Time Law were not yet enacted. Both of these would have given her a clear path to relief. Instead, we filed under the pre-existing pregnancy and gender discrimination laws. After some discovery, the parties engaged in mediation and reached a settlement that provided Julie compensation for her job loss and the significant emotional distress she experienced. Postscript In the end, Julie not only received financial compensation but also found closure from a stressful chapter in her life. She secured a better job and has been able to support her family since. |
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