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CWA Challenges Discriminatory Benefits at AT&T
CWA and several AT&T employees are suing the company over its policies that discriminate against women workers who took pregnancy- related leave before 1979.
Before 1979, pregnant workers were required to take personal leave for their absences, while other employees who suffered temporarily disabling conditions were given service credit for their time off the job. This has resulted in lower pensions and lost retirement opportunities for these women, CWA said.
When the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was adopted in 1979, AT&T changed its policy for new employees. But it continues to penalize women workers who took pregnancy leave before 1979 by disallowing credit for the leave in calculating their pension and retirement benefits.
“AT&T has continued to ignore court rulings that concluded that this policy violated both civil rights and equal opportunity statutes,” said Ralph Maly, CWA vice president for Communications and Technologies.
The lawsuit has been filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In 1998, a federal appeals court found that a similar policy followed by Pacific Bell, a former AT&T subsidiary, violated pension and civil rights law. Pacific Bell agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement in that case.
“It’s time for AT&T to take responsibility and end this continuing discrimination against women workers who took pregnancy leave before 1979,” Maly said. “CWA is committed to gaining for these workers the service credit and fair treatment they deserve.”
Before 1979, pregnant workers were required to take personal leave for their absences, while other employees who suffered temporarily disabling conditions were given service credit for their time off the job. This has resulted in lower pensions and lost retirement opportunities for these women, CWA said.
When the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was adopted in 1979, AT&T changed its policy for new employees. But it continues to penalize women workers who took pregnancy leave before 1979 by disallowing credit for the leave in calculating their pension and retirement benefits.
“AT&T has continued to ignore court rulings that concluded that this policy violated both civil rights and equal opportunity statutes,” said Ralph Maly, CWA vice president for Communications and Technologies.
The lawsuit has been filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In 1998, a federal appeals court found that a similar policy followed by Pacific Bell, a former AT&T subsidiary, violated pension and civil rights law. Pacific Bell agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement in that case.
“It’s time for AT&T to take responsibility and end this continuing discrimination against women workers who took pregnancy leave before 1979,” Maly said. “CWA is committed to gaining for these workers the service credit and fair treatment they deserve.”