Contributed by Annie Park

Despite laws to protect expectant mothers from experiencing discrimination in the workplace, such cases still happen. Recently, two women in Georgia announced their plans to file a lawsuit against their former employer after being fired for being pregnant.

Que’ana Morris and Leeneeka Bell worked as 911 operator trainees at Georgia’s Fulton County Emergency Communications Center. Two years ago, they lost their jobs because their pregnancies forced them to miss work more often than their boss would have liked. One had missed 16 days on doctor’s orders, and the other had been put on bed rest.

The Emergency Communications Center’s department director Angela Barrett told Morris she could keep her job only if she could “eliminate the situation that’s causing [her] absence,” which basically meant that she would not be allowed to work there while pregnant.

The women’s attorney, Lisa Millican, believes this is an obvious case of discrimination – that forcing employees to choose between working and having a child is unethical.

Have you or someone you know been in a similar situation? We would love to hear your thoughts!

Update

Jessica A. Corbitt-Dominguez, Public Affairs Manager at the Fulton County Office of Communications, responded to our article with this comment:

The concerns raised by the former employees in question were investigated by the Fulton County Grievance Committee and the Fulton County Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Disability Affairs. Their claims were not substantiated. Comments included in the article from Fulton County Emergency Services Director Angela Barrett are reportedly from a tape made by the former employee or employees. Fulton County has not been provided this alleged tape and as such, cannot comment on the tape or its authenticity.

Fulton County is a progressive and inclusive employer that fully complies with relevant federal laws as well as our own internal policies and procedures.  At no time did Fulton County take any prohibited action against the employees in question.