A pregnant officer's denied requests spark a legal showdown – are your workplace policies up to date?
A federal court says a pregnant worker’s claims of denied accommodations and retaliation can proceed, putting employer obligations under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act in focus.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) brought a case against Security Assurance Management, Inc., focusing on the company’s treatment of Simone Cooper, an Unarmed Special Police Officer.
According to the court record, Cooper was removed from her assignment at the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program after her employer learned she was pregnant. The complaint states that Cooper had not received negative performance evaluations or discipline prior to her removal. After being taken off the site, she was not scheduled for comparable work and, following her maternity leave, was assigned to a different location with a new schedule.
Upon returning from leave, Cooper was breastfeeding and requested accommodations, including a private lactation room and a work schedule that would allow her to take breaks to pump. The complaint alleges that Security Assurance Management, Inc. either denied or ignored these requests. As a result, Cooper had to pump in her car and experienced incidents where she leaked through her clothing during work. Attempts by Cooper, her union representative, and her attorney to discuss accommodations with...
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