Federal Lawsuit Against Philly Nonprofit Over Pregnant Employee's Remote Work Denial Raises Concerns

Overview

When a pregnant Philadelphia social worker, Meghan Seitz, requested to work remotely in early 2022 due to concerns about COVID-19 exposure, her request was denied. This led to a federal employment discrimination lawsuit against her employer, the Support Center for Child Advocates.

The Lawsuit

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has taken action against the nonprofit on behalf of Seitz. Despite her requests for an exception to the organization’s in-office work requirement during a surge of COVID-19 infections, the organization mandated that employees report to the office three days a week.

Disparate Treatment

Seitz’s requests were denied, even after she left the job, while another employee was allowed to work remotely for non-pregnancy medical reasons. This raises questions about discrimination based on pregnancy status.

Timeline of Events

• December 2021: Seitz learns she is pregnant and begins requesting remote work due to her high-risk pregnancy.
• February 2022: The organization implements a three-day in-office requirement, ignoring her initial requests.
• Seitz continues to seek remote work, providing doctors' notes about her health risks, but her requests are met with no action or requests for more specificity.
• March 2022: After two weeks without a response to her final request, Seitz resigns, fearing for her health and that of her baby.

Allegations of Unequal Treatment

While Seitz faced continual denial, another social worker with an immunocompromised condition was permitted to work from home, highlighting a discrepancy in how requests were handled.

Seeking Justice

The EEOC is pursuing backpay and lost benefits for Seitz, along with an order for the nonprofit to change its employment practices. The commission attempted to negotiate a resolution with the organization before filing the lawsuit, which is standard in such cases.

Lack of Response

As of the latest updates, the organization’s board president and executive director have not commented on the ongoing situation.