TAMUNING, Guam (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced a lawsuit July 27 against Verona Resort & Spa, a hotel resort and spa in Tamuning , for allegations of discharging a pregnant employee with a disability after failing to provide her with an accommodation.
"We continue to see companies refuse to provide accommodations to women with pregnancy-related disabilities," said Anna Park, regional attorney for EEOC's Los Angeles District, whose jurisdiction includes the U.S. territory of Guam. "This refusal denies them opportunities in the workplace and imposes a kind of penalty for motherhood."
According to the EEOC, a front desk employee of the company informed management that she had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. To help treat the disability, a doctor had recommended that she be allowed to sit for portions of her front-desk duty. The company, however, allegedly denied these accommodations and discharged the employee within days of the request.
“Employers need to be aware of their legal obligation to engage in the interactive process with employees who have a pregnancy-related disability,” said Glory Gervacio Saure, director of the EEOC's Honolulu office. “Failing to engage in this process can lead to a violation of the law."