Local and national media outlets have been reporting on a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit filed in federal court against Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Sidney L. Gold, Esq., of the employment law firm of Sidney L. Gold & Associates in Philadelphia, represents the plaintiffs, two cocktail waitresses who maintain that they were demoted when they became pregnant and would no longer fit in their uniforms as their pregnancies developed.
Under federal law, it is illegal to discriminate against anyone on the basis of race, sex, religion, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, gender identification, or national origin. The waitresses claim that when they informed casino management that they were pregnant, they were told that they would have to switch positions when their uniforms no longer fit. They were also told that maternity uniforms would not be provided, nor accepted on the casino floor. The women maintain that when Parx Casino management informed the waitresses that they could only work on the casino floor in their present positions until their uniforms no longer fit and that they would have to move to positions making less money, this amounted to pregnancy discrimination. Both women took their complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity board that determined that they had indeed been discriminated against because of their pregnancies. They then pursued the current federal lawsuit for damages resulting from the pregnancy discrimination.
Under federal law, pregnancy is considered a temporary disability for a woman. Employers are required to accommodate an employee’s pregnancy the same way that temporarily sick or injured employees are treated. It is unlawful to discipline an employee for conditions relating to the pregnancy, such as time off for doctor visits, illnesses such as severe morning sickness, and physical limitations brought on by the pregnancy. The law protects pregnant women from being terminated or demoted for these types of conditions.
In the case of the Parx Casino waitresses, their demotions were a direct result of the change in physical stature brought on by their pregnancies. One of the employees experienced a significant cut in pay when she was demoted to the concession stand. Without the tips that she was making as a cocktail waitress, she experienced a loss of $400 per week. They have filed a federal pregnancy discrimination suit claiming lost wages and benefits, unspecified punitive damages, unspecified compensation for pain, suffering and mental anguish, plus attorney fees. The federal trial date has not yet been set.
Both waitresses are being represented by Philadelphia employment attorney, Sidney L. Gold. In a recent interview with Philadelphia’s Eyewitness News on CBS-3, Mr. Gold stated that “an employer cannot target women simply because they’re pregnant and challenge them with regards to their position of employment.” He went on to say that the Parx case, “is the worst case I’ve seen of invidious discrimination in a long time.”
Philadelphia Employment Discrimination Attorney Sidney L. Gold Seeks Justice for Victims of Workplace Discrimination
Philadelphia discrimination attorney, Sidney L. Gold, works with victims of employment discrimination to help them seek the justice that they are entitled to under the law. For close to three decades, the employment law attorneys of Sidney L. Gold & Associates have represented victims of all types of workplace discrimination suits, including sex, age, race, disability, pregnancy, and gender discrimination. Our employment attorneys are skilled, experienced and committed to providing you with quality representation.
Our offices are conveniently located in downtown Philadelphia, and we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Call us to schedule a consultation. We will review the details of your case and design a legal strategy to help you reach your goals. If you or someone you know has been the victim of pregnancy discrimination or any other discrimination in the workplace, give us a call at 215-569-1999 or contact us online.
Read Media Coverage of the Parx Casino Pregnancy Discrimination Case:
