Finances
Maryland Hospitality Firm Settles Employee Pregnancy Discrimination and Retaliation Suit
Savage River Lodge and Little Crossings will pay $150,000 and furnish equitable relief to settle federal charges that they discriminated against an employee because of her pregnancy and then fired her.
The Frostburg, Maryland businesses, part of Fronterra Resources, offer cabins for rent and operate a restaurant for lodge guests, according to the lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). They also operate a café and other facilities in Grantsville, Maryland.
In its lawsuit, the EEOC sought relief for Jessica Cook, an employee who worked at the Savage River Lodge as a guest services representative beginning in October 2019. According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Savage River Lodge discriminated and retaliated against Cook by failing to provide her with accommodations that she needed due to her pregnancy and firing her days after she disclosed having suffered a miscarriage.
The alleged misconduct violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibit disability discrimination, pregnancy discrimination and retaliation.
According to the consent decree resolving the EEOC’s lawsuit, in addition to the monetary relief, Savage River Lodge provided Cook with an apology. The company will confirm that she is eligible for rehire and is recommended for any job related to her former position at Savage River Lodge. The decree also enjoins Savage River Lodge from discriminating and retaliating against employees in the future.
The company will provide specialized training to educate its workforce about pregnancy loss and discrimination. Periodic reporting to the EEOC and agency monitoring were also ordered.
The EEOC said it filed the lawsuit against Savage River Lodge in U.S. District Court for Maryland after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative process.
The $150,000 settlement reflects $70,000 in back pay and $80,000 in compensatory damages.
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