Real Life Story of Wrongful Discharge and Pregnancy Discrimination

Sheila, Construction Company Comptroller/Office Manager-Palm Beach County, FL

Sheila was hired at a construction company by Karl, her boss at a previous job who left his previous firm to form his own company. Sheila, who at the time was not married, proceeded to have an affair with a married male employee named Mark, and became pregnant by him. At first, Karl was happy for Sheila, but after learning that a co-worker was the father of her child, he became angry. Karl fired Sheila, and then fired Mark two days later. Karl had told Sheila that she was being laid off because of a lack of work and because of her affair with Mark and her pregnancy by him. Sheila sued her former employer under state and federal law. However, even though she was a member of a protected group, qualified and adequately performed her job, the court still found for the company. The court determined that Sheila was fired for her affair with Mark, not her pregnancy, and sexual activity is not a discriminatory basis for employment action.

Kelly v. K.D. Construction of Florida, Inc., 866 F. Supp 1406 (S.D. Fla. 1994)