A denied promotion, revoked remote work, and a call during leave allegedly preceded the firing
A federal lawsuit accuses Wawa of sidelining a pregnant employee one decision at a time — from a denied promotion to termination.
The case, filed on March 20 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Vandermay v. Wawa, Inc., No. 2:26-cv-01840), lays out how a series of management choices allegedly unraveled a four-year employment relationship. The suit raises claims of pregnancy discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment under Title VII, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. No court has ruled on the merits.
The plaintiff, who worked as an SQF Practitioner at Wawa's beverage processing plant in Media, PA, says she disclosed her second pregnancy in late 2024. Her first pregnancy in 2023 had gone smoothly — no workplace friction, no issues upon return. But the second time around, under new management, things allegedly took a different turn.
In May 2025, at roughly eight months pregnant, she told her new manager she wanted to be considered for a promotion to QA Senior Supervisor — a role she says she had effectively been doing for years. The response, according to the lawsuit: "We need to do what is best for the facility right now." The job was then posted externally. It was the only one of three open positions that year opened to outside candidates.
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