To: Diane E. Whalen, Mayor of Florence, Kentucky
No light duty for PREGNANT Kentucky police officer??
Florence, KY, needs a new policy for modified duty for city employees that is in full compliance with the law. We call on Mayor Diane E. Whalen to stand with Florence moms, like police officer Lyndi Trischler, to make sure that city workplace policies work for the citizens of Florence, Kentucky. No mother should ever have to be in the position where she is forced to choose between her job and her health or the health of her baby.
Why is this important?
When Florence, Kentucky police officer Lyndi Trischler was five months pregnant with her second child and no longer able to wear the body armor or utility belt required for her patrol work, because they didn’t fit, made it difficult to breathe and caused her pain, she let her supervisors know. [1] She also experienced the onset of heart palpitations and, according to the Washington Post, at her doctor’s urging, she asked if she could be assigned to light duty for the duration of her pregnancy. [2]
Her supervisor refused the request. [3] Why? Because of a new citywide policy that denies any modified duty to any city employee who requests it, unless they have an on the on-the-job injury. [4]
This policy goes against the Americans with Disability Act, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) pregnancy discrimination enforcement guidance, and in this case, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
Urge Florence, Kentucky Mayor Diane E. Whalen to change the city’s discriminatory policy to be in full compliance with the law NOW and to let Lyndi get back to work!
For more information from our partners at A Better Balance who are representing Officer Trischler in her legal efforts, click here: http://www.abetterbalance.org/web/component/content/article/50-fairnessworkplace/315-lyndi-trischler
[1] The Washington Post: Pregnant women fight to keep jobs via "reasonable accommodations."
[2] Ibid.
[3] USA Today, Police work, pregnancy collide in Ky. Town; CBS News: Field work or no pay for pregnant Kentucky police officer Lyndi Trischler.
[4] A Better Balance: We're fighting back for Officer Trischler.
Her supervisor refused the request. [3] Why? Because of a new citywide policy that denies any modified duty to any city employee who requests it, unless they have an on the on-the-job injury. [4]
This policy goes against the Americans with Disability Act, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) pregnancy discrimination enforcement guidance, and in this case, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
Urge Florence, Kentucky Mayor Diane E. Whalen to change the city’s discriminatory policy to be in full compliance with the law NOW and to let Lyndi get back to work!
For more information from our partners at A Better Balance who are representing Officer Trischler in her legal efforts, click here: http://www.abetterbalance.org/web/component/content/article/50-fairnessworkplace/315-lyndi-trischler
[1] The Washington Post: Pregnant women fight to keep jobs via "reasonable accommodations."
[2] Ibid.
[3] USA Today, Police work, pregnancy collide in Ky. Town; CBS News: Field work or no pay for pregnant Kentucky police officer Lyndi Trischler.
[4] A Better Balance: We're fighting back for Officer Trischler.