Jury Awards $1.5 Million in Breastfeeding Discrimination Case

February 13, 2019

Attorney Patrick C. Gallagher of Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. successfully represented the Plaintiff in a nationally-recognized breastfeeding discrimination case. A Delaware woman was awarded $1.5 million in damages for the gender discrimination and hostile work environment she endured while working for the KFC chain in Camden and Dover, Delaware.

Case Background

After giving birth to her son in 2014, the female employee was told that she would be able to pump breast milk during her breaks. However, her colleagues and supervisors made it considerably difficult for her to take breaks for this purpose. Doctors recommend breastfeeding mothers pump every two hours, those she was often provided only one break during her 10-hour shifts.

The woman initially pumped in a bathroom stall before being asked to use her manager’s office. There, she had very little privacy due to the windows and surveillance cameras positioned throughout the office. She was later demoted and moved to another restaurant location. There, her new coworkers complained about the “breaks” she received for pumping. All these factors ultimately led the woman to give up nursing her child.

A Win for Equality in the Workplace

Aided by attorney Patrick C. Gallagher, the woman filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court against the KFC/Taco Bell franchise. The jury found in favor of the plaintiff and ordered KFC to pay her $25,000 in compensatory damages and $1.5 million in punitive damages.

If you have experienced workplace discrimination or another employment law issue, the Dover employment lawyers at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. will zealously advocate for your rights. For more information or to schedule a confidential consultation, contact us online or call 302-656-5445. We represent clients throughout Delaware from our offices in Wilmington and Georgetown.

To read more about this case, please see this article published on Delaware Online.