The complaint centered on several alleged actions by the manager that amounted to unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex, pregnancy and disability.
For example, the plaintiff alleged that, after she disclosed her first pregnancy, the manager treated her differently, created “unachieveable” milestones and harshly criticized her performance. She claimed this occurred despite having no prior performance issues and despite meeting all work requirements given to her in the months after she terminated the pregnancy.
When she asked why she had been given negative performance reviews, the plaintiff alleged that the manager said her time off had caused “slow velocity” and “project delay.”
After the plaintiff informed her manager of her second pregnancy, she claimed that the manager directed her to provide weekly milestone planning for all projects and “aggressively” increased the planning as time went on, despite the high-risk nature of the pregnancy. When the plaintiff continued to meet expectations, she alleged she was given “additional, specific” milestones from the manager in the weeks leading up to her fall.
The plaintiff alleged her high-risk pregnancy substantially limited major life activities and normal bodily functions, qualifying as a disability under Washington state anti-discrimination law. She further alleged that Google failed to accommodate her disability and unlawfully interfered with her right to take leave under the FMLA during her second pregnancy.
Google has faced allegations of pregnancy discrimination in the past. In 2019, a former employee wrote an internal memo stating that she would not return to the company after her maternity leave because, she claimed, a manager made discriminatory comments about pregnant women. The same manager allegedly sent angry messages and emails to the employee following the disclosure of her pregnancy and retaliated against her. At the time, Google said it prohibited retaliation.
Pregnancy discrimination continues to be a high-priority item for enforcement agencies, particularly the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The agency inked settlements with several employers last year in cases involving alleged pregnancy bias.
Federal-level enforcement has been bolstered by passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which created a right to workplace accommodations for workers who are pregnant or who have conditions related to pregnancy.
Source – https://www.hrdive.com/news/google-fired-pregnant-engineer-fmla-leave-after-fall/812734/