U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
PRESS RELEASE
9-21-12
Wholesale Supplier Fired Employee Hours After She Reported Pregnancy, Agency Charged
ATLANTA - Chemcore Industries, Inc. and Chemcore Industries of Georgia, LLC, a wholesale supplier of sinks, faucets and related accessories to fabricators, plumbing suppliers and contractors, will pay $30,000 to settle a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.
In its lawsuit, filed on Sept. 29, 2011 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division (Civil Action No., 1:11-CV-03323), the EEOC charged that Chemcore fired Marie Simmons, a customer service representative, within several hours after she disclosed her pregnancy to her supervisor. Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), which prohibits employers from subjecting employees to discrimination due to pregnancy. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
In addition to the monetary relief, the consent decree settling the suit includes provisions for equal employment opportunity training, reporting of internal discrimination complaints, and posting of anti-discrimination notices. In the lawsuit and consent decree, Chemcore denied any liability or wrongdoing.
"Ms. Simmons, like other working females, had a right to start a family without fear of losing her job," said Robert Dawkins, regional attorney for the EEOC's Atlanta District Office. "The EEOC is committed to protecting the rights of pregnant employees under federal law."
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.