EEOC and Fashion Retailers Conciliate Pregnancy Bias Charge

HAYDEN, Idaho – Fashion retailers Sage Boutique, LLC, and Just Because - Washington, LLC, located in Hayden, Idaho, and Newport, Washington, respectively, have agreed to pay a former employee $37,000 and furnish other relief to resolve a discrimination charge filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

Following a federal investigation by the agency’s Seattle Field Office, the EEOC found reasonable cause to believe the social media manager had been fired due to concerns for her “postpartum reliability” and despite a positive record of performance and attendance prior to her pregnancy.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, prohibits discrimination against employees because of pregnancy.

Through the agency’s voluntary conciliation process, the parties were able to reach a pre-litigation settlement for compensatory damages and other injunctive relief, including the implementa­tion of policies, procedures and trainings designed to enhance accountability and oversight of managers and employees and help prevent future discrimination.

“Under federal law, it is illegal for employers to make employment decisions based on stereotypes that assume a pregnant employee’s job performance will simply decline after the child is born,” said Elizabeth M. Cannon, director of the EEOC’s Seattle Field Office. “We commend Sage Boutique and Just Because Fashions for engaging in the conciliation process and taking affirmative steps to prevent future discrimination.”

For more information on pregnancy discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/pregnancy-discrimination.

The EEOC’s Seattle Field Office has jurisdiction over employers located in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska and Montana.

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.