Local Community Development Organization Settles EEOC Suit For $35,000

Federal Agency Alleged Better Family Life, Inc. Refused to Hire Pregnant Woman

ST. LOUIS  – Better Family Life, Inc., a community development organization, will pay $35,000 to settle a pregnancy discrimination suit filed last year by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

In its suit, the agency alleged that in January 2009 a company representative telephoned a former employee to offer her a job as an employment lead trainer. Before the call ended, the former employee told the representative that she was pregnant. According to the EEOC, the representative called back a few days later to rescind the job offer because of the former employee's pregnancy.

Under the two-year settlement agreement, which was filed today with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (EEOC v. Better Family Life, Inc., Case No. 4:09-cv-01595-HEA), the company will provide training to managers on pregnancy and other unlawful forms of discrimination, report to the EEOC on pregnant employees and applicants, and permit the EEOC to inspect records to ensure compliance with the terms of the settlement.

"All employers, for-profit and non-profit companies alike, must comply with federal anti-discrimination statutes, including the law prohibiting pregnancy discrimination." said Barbara A. Seely, Regional Attorney of the St. Louis District. "This resolution sends the message that a pregnant applicant has the same right to work as any other applicant."

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.