PIMCO sued over pregnancy discrimination claim

On Behalf of | Nov 7, 2019 | Employment Discrimination

A senior employee at Pacific Investment Management Co. (PIMCO) has sued the company claiming she was passed over for promotion because she became pregnant. Andrea Martin Inokon filed the lawsuit on Sept. 23 in the Superior Court of California.

According to court documents, Inokon, who is African American, claims PIMCO routinely tags women at the company for choosing their families over their work and, therefore, do not deserve to be promoted or paid equally. PIMCO denied the accusation.

Thousands of pregnant workers file discrimination claims

Pregnant women are guaranteed certain rights under both state and federal laws, but each year the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) receives thousands of discrimination claims against companies for actions, such as:

  • Refusal to hire
  • Denying promotion
  • Denying benefits
  • Terminating employment

Factors that can prove discriminatory practices

Pregnancy discrimination is a form of sex discrimination in the workplace. Pregnant women are not allowed to be treated differently from other employees because they are pregnant or may be in the future. Several arguments can be used to prove discrimination:

  • Your employer took detrimental actions against you after becoming aware of your pregnancy
  • You can link those actions to your pregnancy
  • You were fired while you were on maternity leave or when you requested leave
  • The company suddenly changed its policies over maternity leave or pregnant employees after your pregnancy was known

Protect your rights if you are the victim of discrimination

If your employer discriminates against you because you are pregnant, you have the right to file a lawsuit and pursue financial compensation. An experienced discrimination lawyer here in Southern California will aggressively defend your rights from filing a lawsuit to litigating the case in court if necessary.