EEOC Sues Ohio Toy Maker Over Pregnancy Discrimination

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Step2 Company, a toy and plastic products manufacturer in Ohio, over allegations it denied a pregnant worker accommodations and fired her in retaliation.

The lawsuit, filed by the EEOC, says Step2 violated the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The worker, an assembly line employee at the company's Perrysville facility, sought reasonable accommodations such as permission to sit between assemblies and take more frequent breaks. Step2 instead disciplined her for absences related to her pregnancy and mental health conditions, and terminated her in July 2024, the EEOC alleged.

The EEOC also claims Step2 violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bars sex discrimination including pregnancy, as well as the PWFA and ADA's anti-retaliation provisions.