Wholesale Sink and Faucet Supplier Sued by EEOC for Pregnancy Discrimination

Chemcore Industries Violated Federal Law by Firing Expectant Mother, Federal Agency Charged

ATLANTA – Marietta, Ga.-based Chemcore Industries, Inc., one of the largest wholesale suppliers of sinks, faucets and related accessories to fabricators, plumbing suppliers and contractors in the United States, violated federal law when its branch manager fired a customer service representative only hours after learning that she was pregnant, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed today.

According to the EEOC's lawsuit, Marie Simmons (formerly Carver) was terminated on her second day of work due to her pregnancy.  Only hours after informing the branch manager of her pregnancy, the branch manager fired Simmons and informed her that the owners were upset with the fact that she was pregnant and that she had "deceived" the company by not disclosing her pregnancy during the interview.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, including pregnancy.  The EEOC filed suit (Civil Action No., 1:11-CV-3323-ODE-RGV) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement.  The EEOC is seeking back pay, compensatory and punitive damages for Simmons as well as injunctive relief designed to stop pregnancy discrimination and prevent it from recurring in the future. 

"It is a severe injustice to terminate an employee based solely on the fact that she is pregnant," said Bernice Williams Kimbrough, district director of the EEOC's Atlanta office.  "Employers must be held accountable when their actions result in an unfair deprivation of an employee's means of supporting her family."

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.  Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.