Woman says she was fired from job for being pregnant

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Friday, August 24, 2018
Woman says she was fired for being pregnant
Woman says she was fired for being pregnant: Sharrie Williams reports during Action News at 4:30pm on August 23, 2018.

A young woman is speaking out after she says she was fired from her job for being pregnant.

Kameisha Denton started working at a Jersey Mike's shop in Washington state.

After she got the job, she says she sent the store manager a text telling him she's pregnant and will need maternity leave in December. In the text, she wrote: "This will not interfere with my performance and I will be back after the baby is born."

Denton finished her first week, but noticed she wasn't on the schedule so she texted the manager.

He texted her back, writing: "I am sorry to inform you but it's not going to work out. It's not a good time for us to have someone who is leaving for maternity leave. You also failed to tell us this during your interview."

"It's discrimination, you're not supposed to do that. You don't do that to somebody when they're willing to work to support their baby," said Denton.

"First of all, she doesn't have to tell him during any interview that she's pregnant, and secondly it's blatantly illegal to terminate a woman because she's pregnant or going to go on maternity leave," said attorney Reba Weiss.

The owner of that Jersey Mike's says he's aware of the text sent by his manager and that manager has been fired.

The owner offered Denton her job back, but she turned it down and is considering hiring a lawyer.