Settlement Resolves Claims That a Female Employee Was Harassed and Discharged Due to Her Pregnancy, Federal Agency Says

LAS VEGAS - ACR Mechanical Inc., a Las Vegas-based refrigeration service contractor, will pay $10,000 and furnish other relief to settle a pregnancy discrimination charge filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

A former female dispatcher for the company filed an EEOC charge of discrimination in December 2014 alleging that she was harassed and discharged due to her pregnancy.  The EEOC investigated the allegations and ultimately found reasonable cause to believe that ACR Mechanical subjected the dispatcher to pregnancy discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Without admitting liability, ACR Mechanical entered into a two-year conciliation agreement with the EEOC and the dispatcher, thereby avoiding litigation.  Aside from the monetary relief, ACR Mechanical agreed to post a notice of non-discrimination at the worksite and require training for all management employees on the laws enforced by EEOC with an emphasis on harassment issues and compliance with internal reporting procedures.  The agreement further allows the dissemination of a public press release on the matter.  The EEOC will monitor compliance with the agreement.

"A woman's pregnancy should not make her the target of unlawful harassment or discrimination at work," said Amy Burkholder, director of the EEOC's Las Vegas Local Office.  "I am pleased that ACR Mechanical worked with the EEOC to ensure that policies and procedures will be implemented to protect the rights of pregnant employees going forward."

Preventing workplace harassment through systemic litigation and investigation is one of the six national priorities identified by the EEOC's Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP).