The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed its first subpoena enforcement action under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, seeking a court order against an Illinois-based freight company that refused to turn over records related to a discrimination investigation.
The EEOC filed the suit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against R&L Carriers Shared Services, LLC, a logistics and freight transportation company. The agency is investigating allegations from a driver based in Matteson, Ill., who claims she was discriminated against due to her sex and denied reasonable accommodations for her pregnancy. She also alleges she was placed on involuntary unpaid leave.
To support the probe, the EEOC subpoenaed employment records from R&L Carriers, including contact information for employees at the Matteson facility dating back to 2023, as well as information on drivers across six Midwest states who requested pregnancy-related accommodations after the PWFA came into effect on June 27, 2023.
Employer initially refused to comply
The agency filed the court action after R&L Carriers failed to comply with the subpoena. The lawsuit, EEOC v. R&L Carrier Shared Services, LLC, is the first of its kind under the new law. The company later withdrew its objections and agreed to provide the requested information.
“Assuring expeditious investigation of all charges, particularly those under a new law like the PWFA, is a priority,” said Amrith Kaur Aakre, district director of the EEOC’s Chicago District Office. “It is important that we obtain relevant information to be able to determine whether the law is being violated.”
Gregory Gochanour, regional attorney for the Chicago District Office, said the agency will take legal action when companies withhold documents central to an investigation. “If an employer fails to comply with a subpoena issued during an investigation and withholds relevant information, the EEOC will seek court enforcement so that investigations can be completed and a determination made without unnecessary delay,” he said.
About the PWFA
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship. It also prohibits employers from placing pregnant workers on leave if other accommodations would allow them to continue working.
The EEOC has enforcement authority under both the PWFA and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Chicago District Office oversees matters in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota.
