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Monday December 7, 1998

Bell Atlantic benefit plan discriminated
against mothers on maternity leaves

By Amy Williams, Staff Writer

FREEMONT - On behalf of a group of mothers, the EEOC filed a complaint against Wall Street's Nynex and its corporate parent Bell Atlantic.

The commission alleges the company instituted a retirement incentive plan that violates Title VII protections. According to the suit, the plan doesn't credit employment service for women who took leave for pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions prior to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, while crediting nonpregancy-related medical conditions.

The EEOC sued Bell Atlantic and NYNEX, acting on complaints brought by the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

The EEOC alleges that Bell Atlantic and NYNEX instituted a discriminatory policy in a retirement incentive plan aimed at reducing the number of employees. The plan does not credit employment service for female employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions prior to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, while crediting nonpregancy-related medical conditions.

This is an action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Title I of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 to correct unlawful employment practices on the basis of sex. The Commission alleges that since at least April 3, 1994, NYNEX and its subsidiaries (hereinafter, NYNEX ) have continuously violated Title VII by implementing a Retirement Incentive Program that denied full service credit for all employment-related purposes to female employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions prior to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, while allowing full service credit for non-pregnancy-related medical conditions.

Making matters worse, NYNEX has denied such female employees equal compensation, benefits, terms, conditions and privileges of employment because of their pregnant status since at least April 3, 1994.

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