Employer Settles Pregnancy Discrimination Charge for $27k

Azul Wellness, LLC, dba Orlando Float and Orlando Massage Therapy Company, will pay $27,000 to settle a pregnancy discrimination suit. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged that the massage therapy company, based in Orlando, Florida, violated Title VII and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) when it fired an employee because of her pregnancy. According to the suit, Orlando Float required all pregnant employees to obtain a doctor’s note, regardless of whether the employee was requesting any accommodation in her job duties, responsibilities, or schedule. It was the employer's position that providing massages might be a safety risk for pregnant women and their unborn children. When the employee expressed concern over having to submit a doctor’s note, she was terminated during her next scheduled shift.