For Immediate Press Release April 30, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jessica Brociek, Marketing Associate
jbrociek@tullylegal.com, 202-787-1900

Rise in Family Responsibilities Discrimination Claims in the Workplace is Troublesome for Mothers
Mother’s Day Highlights the Issues Working Moms are Forced to Overcome in the Office

[April 30, 2010] – Washington, D.C. – In the last several years, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has noted a sizeable increase in the number of family responsibilities discrimination (FRD) claims. FRD arises from an individual’s perceived employment limitations, such as attempts to balance work and family responsibilities, due to their role as caregiver. Unlike other forms of discrimination, FRD affects all classes of people in the United States and most notably, women.

The most common type of FRD claim arises from working mothers who have been denied employment or promotion because of the stereotype that a woman cannot successfully fulfill the role of “employee” and “parent.” Despite the rise in claims, “caregiver” is not a protected class under Title VII, prompting FRD cases to be filed as gender or pregnancy discrimination. Regardless of the formal protected class language, the EEOC has outlined twenty clear-cut examples of FRD related cases including a hostile work environment based on pregnancy, denial of promotion based on stereotype of how mothers should act, and unlawful sex-based assumptions about work performance.

“Many women who have stellar records for several years hit the ‘maternal wall’ and their careers take a step back as soon as they become pregnant or have children. More troublesome is that this specific type of discrimination is typically subconscious and there is little awareness of its illegality,” said Debra D’Agostino, senior associate at Tully Rinckey PLLC in Washington, D.C. Ms. D’Agostino handles cases of family responsibility discrimination and has witnessed the lengths at which employers will go to terminate or prevent the hiring of caregivers.

Ms. D’Agostino is available to discuss all aspects of family responsibility discrimination in the workplace. To speak with her or to learn more about Tully Rinckey PLLC, please contact Jessica Brociek at 202-787-1900 or via email at jbrociek@tullylegal.com.

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