EEOC Sues U.S. Steel for Pregnancy Discrimination and Retaliation

MINNEAPOLIS - U.S. Steel, a multinational steel and iron mining company, violated federal law when it failed to provide an employee with a reasonable accommodation for her pregnancy, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.

According to the lawsuit, an experienced mining equipment operator at U.S. Steel's Minntac mine in northern Minnesota needed to avoid working on the most physically jarring machinery as an accommodation during her high-risk pregnancy. Instead of temporarily allowing her to do other work within her job description, U.S. Steel placed her on an involuntary leave for several weeks. Although the company later let her come back to work, it first assigned her to work inconsistent with her medical restrictions and then removed her from her normal role altogether. She spent the rest of her pregnancy in a menial office job with reduced earning potential.

The lawsuit further alleged that U.S. Steel retaliated against her after her pregnancy, by denying her higher-paying assignments and sending her to more difficult and less desirable jobs in remote areas of the mine.

"It is important that employers understand that the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act created new and meaningful legal protections for pregnant workers," Catherine Eschbach, acting EEOC General Counsel. "Employers should promptly review and update their workplace policies and practices to ensure they comply with the law."

Such alleged conduct violates the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which requires employers, absent undue hardship, to provide reasonable accommodations for known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. The PWFA also prohibits punishing an employee for requesting such accommodations or for reporting PWFA violations to the EEOC. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. U.S. Steel, Case No. 0:25-cv-04721) in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.

The PWFA went into effect on June 27, 2023. Resources for employees, employers, and healthcare providers are available at: https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-pregnant-workers-fairness-act.

For more information on pregnancy discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/pregnancy-discrimination. For more information on retaliation, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/retaliation.

The EEOC's Chicago District Office has jurisdiction over Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and North and South Dakota, with Area Offices in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

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.