Frontier Airlines is sued for pregnancy discrimination

Frontier Airlines is sued for pregnancy discrimination | Secret Flying

Lawsuit accuses Frontier Airlines of violating rights of pregnant workers.

 

A number of female pilots and flight attendants are suing Frontier Airlines for discriminating against pregnant women.

 

Two lawsuits filed by eight employees say Frontier discriminated against them during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

 

One of the accusations is that pregnant pilots have to take up to four months of unpaid leave.

 

Another is that crew are not allowed to pump milk during their shifts resulting in having to give up breastfeeding prematurely.

 

“As a result of Frontier’s head-in-the-sand approach to pregnancy, our clients have been forced to choose between a profession they love and their ability to give birth and care for themselves and their newborns,” attorney Sara Neel of the ACLU of Colorado said in a press release.

 

One of the pilots argues that taking a brief break to pump wouldn’t be much different than flight crew pilots routinely using the restroom on long flights.

 

“It’s not as though we’re going to be pumping during takeoff and landing,” she said.

 

The Affordable Care Act requires US workplaces to offer private, non-bathroom spaces for expressing breast milk. However, federal rules created several exemptions, including airlines.

 

“Frontier offers a number of accommodations for pregnant and lactating pilots and flight attendants within the bounds of protecting public safety, which is always our top priority,” the airline said in a statement.

 

“Frontier denies the allegations and will defend vigorously against these lawsuits.”