Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, EEOC NEWS—Agency recovers $215K in pregnancy, sexual harassment suits; two new cases filed, (Jun 18, 2026)

By Jonathan Anderson

In separate developments, the EEOC settled one pregnancy discrimination suit and one sexual harassment case. Two new lawsuits were also filed.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) separately announced the settlement of two lawsuits and the filing of two new cases. The settlements, totaling $215,000, resolve allegations that employers in New York and Kentucky violated Title VII and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). One of the new lawsuits seeks to enforce a conciliation agreement against a Kentucky employer, while the other new lawsuit accuses a Maryland company of sex discrimination.

Pregnancy discrimination settlement. PT Administrative Services LLC, dba JAG Physical Therapy, will pay $125,000 and furnish other relief to settle a PWFA childbirth discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC. The lawsuit alleged that the employer, a large chain of physical therapy clinics, fired an employee in New York for requesting reasonable childbirth accommodations. The employee, a patient services coordinator at the Brooklyn Heights JAG location, reached out the day she gave birth to ask about a brief leave or a schedule change, but JAG allegedly refused to grant these accommodations and immediately fired the employee simply for asking about them, according to the lawsuit. In addition to the monetary relief, the consent decree resolving the lawsuit requires training for managers and human resources employees; significant revisions to the employee handbook concerning accommodations and protections under the PWFA; an annual message from the director of human resources regarding those accommodations and protections; and compliance-related reporting to the EEOC.

The EEOC filed its lawsuit in the Eastern District of New York; the case is No. 1:25-cv-03615.

Sexual harassment settlement. Fitch Irick Management, LLC, formerly known as GEM Management, LLC, will pay $90,000 and furnish other relief to settle a Title VII sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the EEOC. The lawsuit alleged that the North Carolina-based property management company knew its site manager in Stanford, Kentucky, reported being sexually harassed by a coworker but failed to address it. After the company directed the employee to continue working with her harasser, the harasser told her he knew she reported his harassment and threatened to shoot and torture her, according to the EEOC. The employee resigned, citing a hostile work environment. In addition to the payment to the employee, the settlement requires the employer to adopt management and employee training, policy revisions, and other targeted relief.

The EEOC filed its lawsuit in the Eastern District of Kentucky, Lexington Division; the case is No. 5:24-cv-00199-GFVT.

Conciliation agreement enforcement. JACO Enterprises, LLC, a Kentucky transportation company, failed to pay $95,000 to alleged victims of sexual harassment as required under a conciliation agreement with the EEOC, according to a new lawsuit filed by the federal agency. The lawsuit alleges that after a female employee filed a charge of discrimination, JACO’s president signed a conciliation agreement requiring the company to pay the original complainant $70,000 and $25,000 to other aggrieved women to resolve the Title VII claims. However, the suit alleges that the company has not made any of the required payments.

The EEOC filed its lawsuit in the Eastern District of Kentucky; the case is No. 6:26-cv-00182.

Sex discrimination. TidalHealth violated federal law when it disciplined and fired a female employee but did not discipline or terminate a male employee for substantially similar conduct, the EEOC alleged in a new Title VII lawsuit. The employer, which operates TidalHealth McCready Pavilion, a medical services and assisted living facility in Crisfield, Maryland, suspended and then terminated a longtime female employee and van driver for a van lift incident. The suit alleges that months earlier, a male van driver was involved in a nearly identical van lift incident but was not disciplined or terminated.

The EEOC filed its lawsuit in the District of Maryland Northern Division; the case is No. 1:26-cv-02201-ABA.

Companies: PT Administrative Services LLC; JAG Physical Therapy; Fitch Irick Management, LLC; GEM Management, LLC; JACO Enterprises, LLC; TidalHealth; TidalHealth McCready Pavilion

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