Sarah Lilleyman, a former Google Canada employee, is suing the tech giant for wrongful dismissal — alleging “pregnancy discrimination.”
While the company denies that its decision to terminate the Ontario-based worker in 2024 was discriminatory, it made stunning claim in its statement of defence.
“Google Canada states that Lilleyman’s allegations, even if true (which are expressly denied), do not amount to a violation of [Ontario’s Human Rights Code]…First, ‘pregnancy’ is not a protected ground under the Code,” the statement reads.
However, pregnancy is a protected ground under the province’s human rights legislation — making it illegal to “fire you, demote you, or lay you off (even with notice) because you are or may become pregnant.”
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