Crothall Healthcare Sued By EEOC For Pregnancy Discrimination

Support Services Company Fired Employee Due to Pregnancy, Federal Agency Charges

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Wayne, Pa.-based company providing support services to several Little Rock-area health care institutions, violated federal law by discriminating against an employee because of her pregnancy, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed today.

The EEOC's suit, Civil Action No. 4:10 CV 1221 JMM, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Western Division, asserts that Crothall Services Group d/b/a Crothall Healthcare, Inc., violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it terminated the employment of Taquesia Neal, who worked for Crothall Healthcare at Arkansas State Hospital in Little Rock, because of her pregnancy.

The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The agency's lawsuit seeks monetary relief in the form of back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, reinstatement and an injunction against future discrimination, among other items.

"The company failed to allow Ms. Neal to work in the position for which she was hired simply because of her pregnancy," said Katharine W. Kores, district director of the EEOC's Memphis District Office, which has jurisdiction over Arkansas, Tennessee and portions of Mississippi. "This type of blatant sex discrimination is a priority for the EEOC. Employers cannot refuse to allow women to work based on discriminatory stereotypes about pregnancy."

Crothall Services Group, a division of Compass Group North America, provides housekeeping and environmental services, patient transportation, laundry and linen services, plant operations and maintenance services and hospitality resource center/call center services to various health care, education, and business institutions. Crothall has about 1,500 clients in more than 43 states. Crothall Healthcare, Inc., part of Crothall Services Group, provides housekeeping and environmental services to a number of hospitals in Arkansas, including Arkansas State Hospital.

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