Victoria’s Secret lawsuit serves as warning about pregnancy bias

The manager of a Tampa Victoria’s Secret store recently filed a complaint alleging that the store fired her because she was pregnant. The woman alleges that management told her the pregnancy “was going to be a problem.” Her baby was due in October, right before the Christmas rush.

The employee, whom Victoria Secret credited with doubling the store’s sales volume, had received exemplary reviews just months before being fired.

Pregnancy discrimination claims rose nearly 40 percent nationwide between 1992 and 2003, according to the EEOC. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), which applies to employers with more than 15 workers, says you must treat pregnant women “in the same manner as other applicants or employees with similar abilities or limitations.”

Final note: As more women stay in the work force before, during and after pregnancy, PDA claims will likely continue to rise. Find more details on complying with the PDA at www.eeoc.gov/types/pregnancy.html.