The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has settled a lawsuit it filed against Greenhouse Outpatient Center, a substance abuse rehabilitation center in Dallas, Texas, and its parent company, Tennessee-based American Addiction Centers. The lawsuit alleged that Greenhouse discriminated against a pregnant employee, in violation Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

Greenhouse had granted the pregnant employee a 30-day leave of absence for childbirth. After the employee’s cesarean section delivery, however, the employee’s doctor recommended eight weeks of recovery before the employee should return to work. When the employee requested to extend her leave, Greenhouse first told the employee that her position would not be held past the 30-day leave of absence and then terminated the employee.

According to the settlement, the defendants:

• Must pay damages in the amount of $146,613
• Are prohibited from future discrimination and retaliation
• Must provide annual training regarding pregnancy and other forms of discrimination
• Must impose discipline, up to termination, on any manager who discriminates based on pregnancy or permits such conduct to occur under his or her supervision
• Must implement a paid parental leave policy and general leave policy, and modify their existing personal leave policy to allow for leave in excess of 30 days

The lawsuit is a reminder that employers should consistently review their written policies for nondiscrimination, and should also provide information and training to employees to ensure the policies are followed.

The EEOC’s news release regarding the lawsuit is available here.