O'Reilly Auto Parts is sued by Washington AG over claims it refused to let pregnant women sit down at work or new moms to pump breast milk - and fired those who complained

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O'Reilly Auto Parts is being sued by the Washington Attorney General over claims it discriminated against its pregnant employees. 

The retailer has been accused of refusing to let pregnant women sit down at work, let new mothers pump breast milk and sacking those who complained. 

Workers at the company's Washington stores have filed around 134 requests for pregnancy accommodations between January 2019 and February 2023.

But a lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court on Wednesday says the company has 'maintained a policy or practice of unlawfully denying pregnancy accommodation requests'.

It is seeking to fine the company $7,500 for per violation with an additional penalty of $5,000 each.  

O'Reilly Auto Parts is being sued by the Washington Attorney General over claims it discriminated against its pregnant employees

A lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court on Wednesday says the company has 'maintained a policy or practice of unlawfully denying pregnancy accommodation requests'

The Washington Attorney General's Office began investigating O'Reilly Auto Parts after complaints from two pregnant employees. 

Pregnant women at the company made requests to include more flexible bathroom breaks, change a 'no food or drink' policy, sit down more often and not lift more than 17 pounds.

They also asked to change work schedules and duties as well as a 'reasonable break time' for pumping breastmilk. 

But the company allegedly denied these requests and retaliated against the women who made them by firing them or forcing them to quit.

It is also accused of demoting the employees, giving them poor performance reviews, condoning harassment from other staff members and 'requesting unnecessary documentation'. 

At least 22 women are said to have 'suffered physically, emotionally and financially as a direct result of O’Reilly’s unlawful actions'.

But the attorney general's office believes this number is higher and is calling on others to come forward.  

One employee said her leave of absence request was rejected multiple times 'because her due date was an "estimate" and not definitive'.

While another two women said managers would hide the stools they used during their breaks. 

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson began investigating O'Reilly Auto Parts after complaints from two pregnant employees

The retailer has been accused of refusing to let pregnant women sit down at work, let new mothers pump breast milk and sacking those who complained

One of them had gestational diabetes and blood clots in her legs during her pregnancy and needed a rest from standing up. 

Many employees are alleged to have told investigators that managers at O'Reilly Auto Parts required them to lift more than the weight limit recommended as safe by their doctors.

Some of them said that did not change even after they complained to management of dizziness, significant cramping or other physical symptoms while performing the work. 

Several women claimed they were subject to verbal harassment for taking breaks to sit or use the restroom.

When employees expressed concerns to management about these and other actions, managers were routinely dismissive, according to the lawsuit. 

Several employees told investigators that they never believed their accommodations were taken seriously. 

One woman claims a manager even told her so, saying that he thought she would be leaving in a few months so it 'didn’t matter'. 

Employees also said their managers coerced them into coming back to work before the end of their scheduled maternity leave- in some cases before being cleared to do so by doctors. 

Many of the women who talked to investigators said their managers forced them out of their jobs immediately following their requests for pregnancy accommodations.

Pregnant employees at O'Reilly Auto Parts made requests to include more flexible bathroom breaks, change a 'no food or drink' policy, sit down more often and not lift more than 17 pounds

But the company allegedly denied these requests and retaliated against the women who made them by firing them or forcing them to quit

It is accused of demoting the employees, giving them poor performance reviews, condoning harassment from other staff members and 'requesting unnecessary documentation'

The conduct is said to be consistent across multiple stores in Washington. One woman was pregnant four times during nearly a decade of employment across several different stores and each time she was denied accommodations. 

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said these alleged actions amount to multiple violations of both the state’s Healthy Starts Act and the Washington Law Against Discrimination.

'Pregnant Washingtonians should not have to choose between healthy, safe pregnancies and their livelihoods,' he said. 

'My office will hold O’Reilly and any other employer accountable when they violate the law and endanger the health of their employees and their babies.'

He said the company has been 'unresponsive and uncooperative' during the investigations into employee complaints. 

O'Reilly Auto Parts was founded in 1957 and has 6,027 stores in 48 US states and Puerto Rico.

Its net income for its second quarter this year rose by nine percent to $627million.