EEOC Sues Dillard’s for Retaliation After Firing Pregnant Employee

Dillard’s, Inc., a national department store chain based in Little Rock, Arkansas, violated federal law when it fired a long-tenured, high-achieving employee after she complained of discrimination and asked about a pregnancy accommodation, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.

According to the EEOC’s suit, in February 2020, a longtime African American sales associate in Dillard’s Northpoint Store, informed the new store manager about her pregnancy-related accommodation, which had been granted by her previous manager. The new store manager promptly rescinded the accommodation. A few days later, the store manager, without warning or explanation, transferred the sales associate to another department where she would struggle to maintain her sales numbers. In March 2020, the sales associate complained the transfer was discriminatory based on her race and pregnancy. Dillard’s did not address the complaint and instead reduced the associate’s hours. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sales associate was furloughed in April 2020 along with several other employees. When Dillard’s began to recall employees, the sales associate was not asked to return to work. In August 2020, the sales associate was fired and was replaced with a lower-performing employee.

Such alleged conduct violates the anti-retaliation provision of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit (Civil Action No. 1:23-CV-01943 MLB RDC) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, after first trying to reach a pre-litigation settlement via its conciliation process. The EEOC is seeking back pay, compensatory damages, and punitive damages for the sales associate, as well as injunctive relief to prevent future discrimination.

Read the source article at eeoc.gov