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Pregnant woman accuses employer of discrimination
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Posted on Sep 29 2005
A Saipan company is facing a lawsuit for not renewing the employment contract of a pregnant woman, who was allegedly discriminated against by the employer on the basis of her sex and pregnancy.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed with the U.S. District Court yesterday a civil action against Kumanomi Island Co. Ltd., asking the court for a permanent injunction that would continuously prevent the company from engaging in discriminatory practices, such as those based on sex and pregnancy.
The EEOC filed the suit on behalf of worker Emily S. Barcelo and other co-workers who could have been in a similar situation.
EEOC attorneys William Tamayo, David Offen-Brown and Wilfredo Tungol said the civil rights action aims to correct the allegedly unlawful practices of the company.
“Since at least Oct. 2, 2002, the defendant has engaged in unlawful employment practices at its Saipan facility…by failing to renew the charging party’s employment contract on the basis of her sex and by depriving her of employment benefits given to employees not affected by pregnancy,” the attorneys stated in a complaint.
The EEOC accused Kumanomi Island of depriving Barcelo equal employment opportunity. EEOC attorneys alleged that the company’s practice was intentionally done, “with malice and reckless indifference to the federally protected rights of Barcelo and other similarly situated individuals.”
The attorneys asked the court to award Barcelo and other similarly situated employees backpay and compensation for pecuniary and non-pecuniary losses.
They also asked the court to compel the company to promulgate an equal employment opportunity policy.
