The EEOC says her points kept adding up even while she was out on approved leave
A federal agency is suing a toy maker, saying its attendance policy punished a pregnant worker for absences tied to her pregnancy.
On July 8, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit against The Step2 Company, LLC, an Ohio plastics and toy manufacturer, in the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The complaint alleges the company violated the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Title VII, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The case turns on a point-based attendance system - the kind many employers use. The complaint describes a worker who joined as an assembler in January 2022 and, by the EEOC's account, was a strong performer: an above-average review, a promotion within her role, training duties, and monetary awards for perfect attendance. She had also told the HR manager she lived with depression and anxiety.
According to the filing, things changed once the points started adding up. Step2's policy assessed points for absences unless they were excused, with ten points leading to a "Last Chance Agreement" and twelve to termination. The complaint says the policy excused several categories of time off but named only the FMLA as protected statutory leave.
The EEOC alleges the company treated pregnancy-related absences as "unexcused." That included December 2023 absences tied to pregnancy sickness and a miscarriage, which the complaint says were later used as a...
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