Being pregnant doesn’t mean you’re untouchable at work. Just ask Lauralee Richmond. In Richmond v. Team One Contract Services, L.L.C., No. 24-40815, 2025 WL 2206981 (5th Cir. Aug. 4, 2025), she claimed pregnancy discrimination after getting fired while seven months pregnant. But the problem wasn’t the baby bump—it was her blatant refusal to do the job she was hired for, plus a dash of document fakery. Pregnancy is protected. Poor performance is not. And if you’re unsure whether you were wrongfully terminated, do not guess—call an employment attorney now. For example, a qualified employment discrimination lawyer could have helped Richmond gather documentation, identify comparator employees, and craft a legal theory that actually fit the facts. An experienced attorney knows how to ask the right questions, connect the dots, and avoid the kind of missteps that tank otherwise valid discrimination claims.
What Does The Pregnancy Discrimination Act Actually Cover?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee based on sex, including wrongful termination. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (“PDA”) amends that by making it clear that gender/sex discrimination includes pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. That means employers can’t fire, demote, or otherwise mistreat an employee because she’s pregnant. To prove pregnancy discrimination, an employee must show that the employer’s stated reasons were a pretext—that is, not the real reasons, but a cover for unlawful bias based on pregnancy. An experienced employment attorney can help identify inconsistencies, uncover biased comments, and gather comparator evidence that may prove discrimination.
On top of that, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA”), which took effect in 2023, gives pregnant employees the right to reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions unless doing so causes an undue hardship. These include light duty, extra bathroom breaks, or not lifting heavy items. But none of these laws give a pregnant employee a free pass to ignore safety requirements, falsify reports, or toss company policies in the trash. They protect against discrimination—not performance failures. If you think you are being pushed out because of pregnancy or denied accommodations, call an employment lawyer before it is too late. Getting advice early could mean the difference between a strong legal case and no case at all.
Best Pregnancy Discrimination Attorney Blogs on Point:
- How Do You Prove Pregnancy Discrimination?
- Can A Job Reject Me Because I’m Pregnant?
- Can I Get A Light Duty Accommodation During Pregnancy?
The Backstory: Safety First (Unless You’re Lauralee)
Richmond managed truck drivers and staff for TeamOne at a UPS facility. Her job was all about safety—monitoring “hard brakes,” coaching drivers, filing reports, and keeping things DOT-audit-proof. Unfortunately, she had a very different management philosophy: if you don’t like the rules, don’t follow them.
TeamOne started getting complaints: Richmond wasn’t responsive, skipped required meetings, and never turned in a single coaching or discipline document despite months of reminders. That’s not a small oversight—TeamOne was missing 65 documents, and federal transportation safety was on the line.
Richmond’s response? Admit to it… but claim she was right and they were wrong. She said TeamOne’s documentation policy didn’t work and accused the company of forcing her to choose between perjury or disobedience. Then she reminded HR she was pregnant and going on leave.
Spoiler: reminding your employer that you’re pregnant doesn’t cleanse away misconduct. Especially when it’s followed by even more complaints about logbook violations and hours-of-service disasters that could lead to serious penalties in a DOT audit. Her subordinates even reported she asked them to falsify pay records.
This is the exact moment when smart employees call an employment attorney. If you’re wondering whether you’re being disciplined unfairly or targeted because of pregnancy, don’t risk guessing wrong. An experienced employment lawyer can assess your situation, intervene before HR documents your way out the door, and help build your case the right way—from the beginning.
Best Employment Discrimination Lawyer Blogs on Point:
- 3 Ways That Companies Discriminate Against Their Pregnant Workers
- Can My Boss Cut My Hours Because I’m Pregnant?
- Employment Law: What Is Light Duty Pregnancy?
Her Argument: “But My Terminal Was #1!”
Richmond argued that she took her terminal from “the outhouse to the penthouse” in UPS rankings. Even if true, courts don’t reward shortcuts. Safety protocols aren’t optional, and you can’t just opt out of filing documentation because you disagree with company policy.
More importantly, the Fifth Circuit emphasized that even if some complaints were exaggerated or inaccurate, what matters is whether the employer reasonably believed the complaints and acted in good faith. In other words: your employer doesn’t have to be right; it just has to be sincere. That’s called the “honest belief rule,” and it slammed the brakes on Richmond’s case.
If you’re trying to figure out whether your firing was based on actual performance issues or just an excuse to get rid of you because of pregnancy, now is exactly the time to contact an experienced employment attorney. A skilled lawyer can dig into your case, obtain internal records like safety reports and disciplinary memos, and determine whether your employer’s justification holds water—or is just a cover story. Don’t wait for HR to finish building their case against you. Get legal counsel that can start building your case now. to get rid of you because you’re pregnant, talk to an employment law firm with real experience separating fact from pretext.
Best Employee’s Rights Law Firm Blogs on Point:
- Yes, You Can Be Fired for Abrasive Behavior Even If You’re Pregnant
- Can I Get Help At My Job Because I’m Pregnant?
- Do I have to tell a potential job I’m pregnant?
Let’s Talk About Pretext
To prove pregnancy discrimination, Richmond needed to show that TeamOne’s reasons for firing her were just a cover story—a pretext for bias. That means demonstrating that the employer’s stated reasons weren’t just weak or unfair, but false and masking unlawful intent. And that takes more than speculation; it takes evidence.
But instead of offering real evidence, she relied on petty arguments:
Complaining that her boss didn’t always reply to her maternity leave emails.
Griping about “shifting explanations” even though all the explanations were consistent with safety violations.
Insisting UPS was disappointed in her firing, even though UPS wasn’t the employer and didn’t see the complaints.
The court wasn’t buying any of it. Her termination letter cited falsifying documents and ignoring safety. That’s not discrimination. That’s discipline.
This is exactly why employees should not try to prove pretext alone. To succeed, you need someone who knows how to identify inconsistencies, request internal records like safety logs or disciplinary files, and strategically build your claim from day one. That’s what an experienced employment lawyer does. Don’t wait until you’re staring down a summary judgment motion. Call Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm, as soon as you suspect things are going off track. Early legal intervention can uncover key documents, preserve witnesses, and change the entire trajectory of your case. You don’t get a second shot at proving pretext—make sure you get it right the first time.
To prove pregnancy discrimination, Richmond needed to show that TeamOne’s reasons for firing her were just a cover story—a pretext for bias. But instead of offering real evidence, she relied on petty arguments:
Complaining that her boss didn’t always reply to her maternity leave emails.
Griping about “shifting explanations” even though all the explanations were consistent with safety violations.
Insisting UPS was disappointed in her firing, even though UPS wasn’t the employer and didn’t see the complaints.
The court wasn’t buying any of it. Her termination letter cited falsifying documents and ignoring safety. That’s not discrimination. That’s discipline.
This is why wrongfully fired workers need to consult with the best employment attorneys. If you want a real shot at proving pretext, you need evidence—and you need someone who knows how to get it. Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm, can help you figure out if you’ve got a case or a costly misunderstanding.
Best Wrongful Termination Attorney Blogs on Point:
- Employer’s Lies Are Called Pretext
- How Do I Prove Pretext For My Wrongful Termination?
- Yes, You Can Be Fired For Turning Off The AC, Yelling At Coworkers, And Cursing Out Your Team Like A Soap Opera Villain
What’s The Takeaway For Employees?
Pregnancy discrimination is real and illegal. But it doesn’t give you immunity from doing your job. If your employer documents performance failures and has a reasonable, good faith belief that you’re not meeting expectations, courts aren’t going to let you turn a termination into a payday.
Here’s the real lesson: If you’re pregnant and feel targeted at work, don’t wait until after you’re fired to figure out your rights. Talk to an employment attorney immediately—before a missed opportunity becomes a lost case. Too many employees assume they’ll “wait and see” or handle it themselves. That delay can mean lost records, missed deadlines, and weakened claims.
Early legal intervention can be a game-changer. An experienced employment lawyer can advise you on what to document, how to request accommodations, and how to respond to performance write-ups in real time. Don’t wait until it’s too late. If you were wrongfully fired while pregnant, or think your employer is trying to push you out, call an employment lawyer today to protect your rights and your job.
So Who Should You Call If You’re Wrongfully Fired While Pregnant?
Here’s a question you might be typing into Google right now: Can I sue my employer for wrongful termination if I was fired while pregnant?
Answer: Possibly—but only if you have evidence. That’s where we come in. At Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm, we help employees stand up against employers who cross the line. But we also know the line isn’t wherever you decide to draw it.
If you believe you were wrongfully fired, discriminated against, or retaliated against because of pregnancy, race, gender, or any protected status, call the best employment law firm you can find. We’re one of the largest firms in the country focused exclusively on employee rights. We offer a free initial consultation, a no-fee guarantee, and we have a proven track record of success at trial.
Don’t DIY your employment law case. Don’t wait until HR hands you a pink slip and a box. Call Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm, today.
Employment Lawyer Disclaimer:
This pregnancy discrimination blog is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Every employment situation is unique. If you believe you were wrongfully terminated, wrongfully fired, or discriminated against at work, you should consult a qualified employment attorney to evaluate your case. This blog discusses issues including employment discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination under Title VII and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. No promises are being made, and this blog is a legal advertisement.