Decided September 25, 2008
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

James K. Thomas, II and Crystal H. Clark secure Defense Verdict in Employment Law case involving a six-figure demand.

Plaintiff alleged she was terminated from employment as a paramedic in violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. 

At the time of her termination, she was approximately four months pregnant, and contended on the basis of the timing, an email from a supervisor that she was “too pregnant to walk upstairs,” and the lack of policy/answers from Defendant as to how her maternity leave would be handled, as evidence that her termination was discriminatory in nature.

Defendant contended that Plaintiff was terminated not because of pregnancy, but as a result of three similar performance issues related to violations of company protocols in the 30 days leading up to that termination.  

Based on all of the evidence presented, it was determined that Plaintiff had, indeed, violated protocol on matters involving contact with medical command on three occassions, and on one occasion falsifying a patient care report as to that contact.  Plaintiff was terminated, and her medical command restricted, for violating protocol and falsifying legal documents.

After three and one-half days of trial, the jury found in favor of the Defendant.