‘Twas the night before Christmas, when Janie was fired.
In litigation, she soon would be mired.
The reason that was given, seemed like fabrication.
Her pregnancy, she thought, was the true motivation.
Her performance evaluations were almost without flaw.
Firing employees who are pregnant, is against Ohio law.
So Janie in her ‘kerchief, sought out an attorney.
She understood, it would be a long journey.
But Janie was firm, and her cause it was just.
Whatever they accused, pursue it she must.
Compared to her colleagues, she had always done better,
So to the employer her attorney sent a letter.
The letter, when read, asked the employer to show,
Why Janie was fired, not those whose performance was low;
When to Janie’s surprise, what from the company did appear?
A letter from human resources, with a new reason clear.
A lifting restriction the reason they cited.
She can’t lift while she’s pregnant, the employer delighted.
Janie knew in a moment, that claim was untrue;
Other employees, she said, had restrictions too!
So she dashed and she danced, and she pranced with conviction,
Like a comet to court, to stop dereliction.
What happened to her was simply a shame;
Pregnant employees should be treated the same!
If accommodations are given, either major or mild,
To non-pregnant employees, so to those with child.
If your tummy it wobbles, like a bowl full of jelly,
You should not be fired, for the child in your belly.
The discovery process was lengthy and tiring.
But she gathered more evidence, the employer perspiring.
She had been treated unequal, there was no longer a doubt.
She’d soon tell all her story, the truth would come out.
So after her struggle, being fired at work,
Being turned to the street, like she was a jerk,
And seeing her employer, turn up its nose,
Through the court system, Janie’s turn it arose.
She sprang to her feet, when the jury ruled in her favor.
Ending pregnancy discrimination is a joy that we savor.
And she heard her attorneys exclaim, as they drove out of sight:
At Bolek Besser Glesius, we never give up the fight!
* * *
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all from Bolek Besser Glesius! In the interest of fun and the spirit of the season, we’ve taken a little artistic license here in explaining the Ohio pregnancy discrimination laws. It’s of course far more complicated than a short poem would allow us to explain. In the next week or so, we’ll post more information on this blog (in non-poetic form) about pregnancy discrimination in Ohio. Stay tuned. If you can’t wait, you can read more now on our pregnancy discrimination page.
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