Wild Beaver Saloon To Pay $45,000 To Settle EEOC Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit

Indianapolis Bar Fired Bartender/Server Because She Was Pregnant, Federal Agency Charged

INDIANAPOLIS – The Wild  Beaver Saloon in Indianapolis  will pay $45,000 and furnish other relief to settle a pregnancy discrimination  lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the  agency announced today.

According to  the EEOC's lawsuit, EEOC v. WBS Broad  Ripple, Inc., d/b/a Wild Beaver Saloon, Civil Action No.  1:11-cv-00373-TWP-DML, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District  of Indiana, Indianapolis Division, the bar fired a bartender/server because she  was pregnant.

Such alleged  conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the  Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The EEOC  filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through  its conciliation process.

The company  agreed to pay $45,000, mainly in compensatory and punitive damages, to the  former employee. The EEOC also charged  that the company failed to post the required EEO poster on its premises. To settle that allegation the company agreed  to pay a fine of $100 to the federal government.

"We are  satisfied, based on the amount of the settlement, that the Wild Beaver Saloon  recognizes that it violated the law by terminating an employee solely because  she was pregnant," said Laurie A. Young, regional attorney of the Indianapolis  District Office. "We are confident that  this company will not make this mistake again."

EEOC  enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is  available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.