T-Mobile discriminates and fires woman for being pregnant

On Behalf of | May 6, 2013 | Workplace Discrimination |

If you’ve read past posts on this blog you’ll know that in the category of workplace discrimination, there is a new subcategory that is emerging: pregnancy discrimination. This form of discrimination can include being treated differently by supervisors or management, retaliation, and sometimes even wrongful termination all because of a pregnancy. But while more and more cases are cropping up here in Indiana and the rest of the country, the public remains relatively unaware of the fact that they may be entitled to compensation if they think they have been a victim of this form of discrimination.

Such is the case for one Tennessee woman who was fired from her job at T-Mobile because of medical complications that arose during her most recent pregnancy. But despite some law experts pointing out that she was a victim of workplace discrimination, suing may not be an option if her future.

The 40-year-old woman outlined the circumstances surrounding her termination in a blog post submitted to MomsRising.org. In her post, she explained that the company had had no issue with her first pregnancy because it had not interfered with her work. But when complications arose with her second pregnancy, things changed. She needed to drink more fluids, he doctor had told her, thus forcing her to take more bathroom breaks. But the company only allowed employees so many breaks in a day and when her metrics began to falter, he supervisor asked her to bring a note from her doctor and clock out for bathroom breaks.

According to the woman, clocking out for bathroom breaks was not something anyone else at the company was required to do. It was because of this that she used up all of her vaction time, finally forcing her to go on the Family Medical Leave Act. But a little over a month later she was fired from her job.

Many people are saying she deserves compensation for suffering through pregnancy discrimination and wrongful termination. But because of fear for financial costs, the woman says she has no plans of filing a lawsuit against T-Mobile.

Source: ABC News, “Pregnant T-Mobile Employee Clocked Out to Use Toilet,” Abby Ellin, May 1, 2013

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