Suffolk County Police Department Discriminates Against Pregnant Officers, NYCLU and ACLU Argue

The New York Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union will begin a jury trial this Monday in federal court in the Eastern District of New York to show that the Suffolk County Police Department discriminates against women officers by denying them limited duty during their pregnancies.

The NYCLU’s Reproductive Rights Project and the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project are representing six female police officers in the case, Lochren v. Suffolk County.

The Suffolk County Police Department changed its limited duty policy in April 2000 to disqualify pregnant officers from precinct desk and other non-patrol jobs that would have enabled them to continue working during much of their pregnancies. At the same time as it denies pregnant officers limited duty, the Department also fails to provide bulletproof vests or gun belts that would fit pregnant officers and has awarded limited-duty jobs to male officers.

The trial will begin this Monday, June 5, at 9.00am.

Attorneys and staff will be posting blog entries and updates about the case during the course of the trial at http://blog.aclu.org.

Click here to read the complaint (requires the free Adobe Reader).

Click here to read about the plaintiffs