Another Example of What Not To Do

Hospital Withdrew Job Offer Over Pregnancy-Related Impairment, Federal Agency Charged

Saint Clare’s Health, a division of Prime Healthcare Services that operates two hospitals in Morris County, New Jersey, will pay $77,550 and furnish other relief to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

According the EEOC’s lawsuit, Saint Clare’s Health hired a pregnant candidate to fill a per diem EMS dispatcher position at its Dover, New Jersey facility. A few days before her start date, however, the employee was hospitalized and diagnosed with preeclampsia, a pregnancy-related impairment affecting the circulatory system. The employee then contacted Saint Clare’s human resources department about her diagnosis and asked what steps she needed to take next. Saint Clare’s Health responded by with­drawing her job offer, even though she only needed the minor accommodation of delaying her start date by several weeks.

Morale of the Story: Know your responsibilities BEFORE you take action and make a costly mistake.