University School of Milwaukee to Pay $37,500 in EEOC Pregnancy Discrimination Suit

Employee Was Fired  Because of Her Pregnancy, Federal Agency Charged

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee K-12 school will pay $37,500 and  furnish other relief to settle a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S.  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

According to the EEOC's suit,  University School of Milwaukee terminated Mallory Barker, an arts and crafts  coordinator in the school's after-school program, because of her  pregnancy.  Such alleged conduct violates  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Dis­crim­ination  Act (PDA).  The EEOC filed suit in U.S.  District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin after first attempting to  reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

The consent decree settling the suit (EEOC v. University  School of Milwaukee, No. 2:12-cv-979),  entered on March 14, 2013 by U.S.  District Judge Charles N. Clevert, provides that University School will  pay Barker $37,500 and prohibits future discrimin­ation.  Also, University School will train its employees,  managers and supervisors regarding pregnancy discrimination, an employer's  obligations and the rights of employees under Title VII.

 "Sometimes, employers  overreact and base employment decisions on an employee's pregnancy," said John  C. Hendrickson, regional attorney of the EEOC's Chicago District Office, which  is responsible for EEOC litigation in Wisconsin,  Illinois, Minnesota,  Iowa, North Dakota  and South Dakota.  "In this case, a supervisor appears to have  violated University School's own written policies when she told Ms. Barker that  she could no longer work there.  We  appreciate University School's willingness to provide relief for Ms. Barker and  to ensure that discrimination does not recur." 

University School is a pre-kindergarten  (age 3) through grade 12 independent college-preparatory day school located in  suburban Milwaukee. 

The  EEOC's litigation efforts were led by Senior Trial Attorney Dennis R. McBride of  its Milwaukee Area Office and Associate Regional Attorney Jean Kamp of its  Chicago District Office.  

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