Federal lawsuit says dental company fired employee because of her pregnancy
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – iPro Dental Laboratory, Inc., a Fort Lauderdale manufacturer of dental restoration products used by dental practices nationwide, violated federal law when it fired a recently hired employee because she was pregnant, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, iPro Dental hired a woman in January 2023, describing her as “perfect” for the position of office assistant at its Fort Lauderdale location. The company fired her just days later after learning she was pregnant. Prior to her termination, the new employee had not been disciplined for her work performance.
“Unfortunately, discrimination against pregnant workers is a persistent problem,” said EEOC Miami Regional Attorney Kristen Foslid. “This lawsuit seeks to provide relief for the affected worker and to raise awareness for all employees and employers that pregnancy discrimination is unlawful.”
The company’s alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including pregnancy. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. iPro Dental Laboratory, Inc., Case No. 0:25-cv-61903) in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
EEOC’s Miami District Office Director Evangeline Hawthorne said, “The EEOC continues to enforce laws prohibiting pregnancy discrimination. Employers cannot deny pregnant women equal opportunities in the workplace.”
For more information on pregnancy discrimination, please visit
https://www.eeoc.gov/pregnancy-discrimination.
The EEOC’s Miami District Office has jurisdiction over Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; the EEOC is responsible for investigating charges against state and local government employers before referring them to DOJ for potential litigation. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government’s employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.
