By Dave Jamieson | The Huffington Post
When Peggy Young became pregnant in 2006, she had every intention of continuing to work delivering packages for UPS in Maryland. At the urging of the company’s occupational health manager, Young visited her doctor to obtain a note detailing any work restrictions she might need. Her doctor recommended that she not lift more than 20 pounds for the first 20 weeks of her pregnancy.
Based on the doctor’s note, UPS placed Young on unpaid leave, an all too common experience for women nationwide. Although UPS often put workers with other conditions on light duty, it told Young that such accommodations wouldn’t apply to an “off-the-job” condition such as her pregnancy. Not only would she lose her income, she would have to suddenly switch to her husband’s health insurance plan, changing the hospitals at which she could potentially give birth.
If you’d like to discuss employment or health care law, contact David Weissman, dweissman@roselawgroup.com