New York Employment Attorney Blog
A federal judge in Manhattan has tossed out most of the claims in a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit filed against Bloomberg, LP. According to Judge Loretta Preska, five of six named plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit provided insufficient evidence to demonstrate that their careers were side tracked following maternity leave. In addition, the federal judge also tossed the claims of 29 unnamed female plaintiffs. In the lawsuit, the EEOC alleged that new mothers employed at Bloomberg, LP were demoted, replaced by men, harassed, shut out of management meetings, or fired following maternity leave.
Currently, only one plaintiff remains in the case that was filed on behalf of the women by the nation’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2007. No trial date has been set in the case. Two years ago, the same judge refused to allow the EEOC to certify a class that included hundreds of potential pregnancy discrimination plaintiffs. At the time, Judge Preska stated the agency failed to demonstrate that a widespread pattern of discrimination existed at the company.
Judge Preska reportedly dismissed the numerous plaintiffs’ claims after she accused the EEOC of mishandling the case. Despite that the lawsuit was initially filed six years ago, the judge also accused the agency of rushing to court and failing to make appropriate settlement attempts in her 181-page decision. Preska stated, “The court does not impose this severe sanction lightly and recognizes that certain … claims may be meritorious but now will never see the inside of a courtroom.” A spokesperson for the EEOC said the agency is currently reviewing its options with regard to the judge’s ruling.
Women currently account for about half of the nation’s workforce and about three-fourths of employed females will become pregnant at some point during their working career. Regrettably, pregnancy discrimination at work occurs often. In 2012, the EEOC received almost 3,800 pregnancy discrimination complaints and recovered more than $14 million in settlements for the victims. If you believe that you suffered pregnancy discrimination in a New York workplace, you are advised to discuss your rights with a quality attorney.
The caring lawyers at Phillips & Associates have many years of experience representing the victims of pregnancy discrimination or workplace sexual harassment in New York City and surrounding areas. At Phillips & Associates, our knowledgeable attorneys are here to help you protect your rights at the municipal, state, and federal levels. To schedule a free, confidential consultation with a committed advocate, give our hardworking lawyers a call at (212) 248-7431 or contact Phillips & Associates through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Plaintiff’s Firm Wins Punitive Damages on Behalf of Client Subjected to the N-Word at Work, New York Employment Attorney Blog, September 6, 2013
Plaintiff’s Firm Wins Compensatory Damages in a New York Employment Case Involving the N-word, New York Employment Attorney Blog, September 4, 2013
Additional Resources:
U.S. judge tosses pregnancy bias lawsuit against Bloomberg LP, by Jonathan Stempel and Jennifer Saba, Reuters.com
Judge tosses most plaintiffs in discrimination suit against Bloomberg, L.P., by Daniel Beekman, New York Daily News