Department of Justice Seal Department of Justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2004
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
CRT
(202) 514-2008
TDD (202) 514-1888

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO JOIN SEX DISCRIMINATION
LAWSUITS AGAINST DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA


WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Department of Justice today filed three complaints, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging the District’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (FEMSD) subjected former female employees to sexual harassment. The complaints were filed along with a motion to intervene in a lawsuit already filed by the former employees.

According to the complaint, the victim, formerly employed as an emergency medical technician (EMT), and other female applicants were required to undergo a pre-hiring pregnancy test. Subsequent employment offers were made contingent on a negative result of the pregnancy test. Once employed, the victim and other female EMT’s were told by FEMSD management officials that a pregnancy during their first year of employment, a probationary period, would put their jobs in jeopardy. Additionally, the complaint alleges that FEMSD failed to take appropriate action to remedy the effects of the discrimination.

“Women should not be forced to choose between their baby or their job,” said R. Alexander Acosta, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “Pregnancy tests should not be used as barriers to women’s entry into the workplace. We will not hesitate to enforce the law where we find evidence of sex discrimination.”

The Justice Department’s intervention into this lawsuit reflects the Civil Rights Division’s commitment to actively enforcing federal employment discrimination laws. Seven employment discrimination lawsuits have been authorized since November 2003 and six have been filed in 2004. In addition, in fiscal year 2004 the Civil Rights Division has opened 49 investigations of state and local governments pursuing allegations of illegal employment discrimination.

If the motion to intervene is granted, this lawsuit will be prosecuted by the Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Employment Litigation Section is available on the Department of Justice’s website at <http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/emp>.

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