Company Violated Federal Law by Refusing to Hire Pregnant Employee, Federal Agency Charged

QSI Business Solutions, a Dalton, Georgia, staffing and temporary employment agency, violated federal law by refusing to hire or place for employment an applicant after learning that she was pregnant, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it recently filed.

According to EEOC's lawsuit, QSI refused to place Layla Medeiros for employment with one of its clients after it learned of her pregnancy. When Medeiros was called in for an open position, QSI's Staffing Coordinator saw Medeiros and asked if she was pregnant. When she confirmed that she was, the Staffing Coordinator told Medeiros that QSI could not hire or place her for the job opening because her pregnancy made her a safety risk. QSI then sent Medeiros away and did not call her for any future openings.

Pregnancy discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The EEOC filed suit (Civil Action No. 4:15-cv-00176) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Rome Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The federal agency seeks back pay, compensatory, and punitive damages for Medeiros, as well as injunctive relief designed to prevent such discrimination in the future.

EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about EEOC is available on the agency's website at www.eeoc.gov.