A Minnesota dental clinic recently reached a settlement agreement after firing an employee because of her pregnancy.
Coon Rapids-based PL Dental was found to have violated Minnesota’s civil rights law when it fired Christina Vescio-Holland because of her pregnancy, according to a news release from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.
According to the news release, Ms. Vescio-Holland notified PL Dental in December 2020 that her doctor recommended she begin parental leave earlier than originally anticipated. She met with an office manager days later, who fired her and stated the dental office would rehire her after her pregnancy and when she was ready to return to work. However, a termination letter stated that Ms. Vescio-Holland was fired for performance shortcomings.
The state department said it found in its investigation that the dental clinic did not have credible evidence of concerns with Ms. Vescio-Holland’s performance.
As part of the settlement, PL Dental is required to take action to prevent future unlawful discrimination, including providing inclusivity training to employees and enforcing anti-discrimination policies. They are also required to submit regular reports to the state's human rights department to ensure compliance. The dental clinic will also pay Ms. Vescio-Holland $97,500, the equivalent to three years of wages.