Federal officials are suing a trucking company working out of Matteson, Illinois for not providing reasonable accommodations to a pregnant truck driver.
What happened: The EEOC claimed that R&L Carriers made a pregnant driver go on leave instead of allowing her to keep working with a 20-pound lifting limit.
- The driver told her employer about her pregnancy and asked for lighter lifting. But the company said no to her request.
- The lawsuit argues that, under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), companies must try to work with employees to find a way for them to stay on the job if it doesn’t cause big problems for the business.
- Officials are seeking payout for damages and an order to keep R&L Carriers from doing the same thing again.
What they’re saying: “The law also specifically bars employers from forcing employees to take leave when the employer could have offered another reasonable accommodation that would allow them to keep working. It was designed to prevent what happened here: pregnant workers being pushed out of the workforce,” said EEOC spokesperson Victor Chen, according to the official EEOC press release.
The EEOC is asking for monetary damages for the driver and wants the company to change its practices moving forward.