Would an organization dedicated to the “prosperity and growth of the American Family” discriminate against a pregnant woman? The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleges it did.

In a lawsuit, the EEOC says Better Family Life, Inc., rescinded a job offer to a woman because she was pregnant, a violation of federal law.

The agency says that in January 2009, a representative of Better Family Life and the woman had a telephone conversation in which the woman was asked if she would be interested in a job. The woman says that when she told the representative that she wanted the job, the two set up a meeting for her to fill out hiring paperwork. Before the conversation ended, the woman also told the representative that she was pregnant, according to the lawsuit.

The EEOC alleges that on the morning of the date of the meeting, Better Family Life left a voice-mail message for the woman, canceling the meeting and rescinding the job offer. The agency says the organization rescinded the job offer because she was pregnant.

Better Family Life is a community development organization that is based in St. Louis. On its website, the organization says it is “dedicated to the prosperity and growth of the American family.”

Pregnancy-bias complaints have risen over the last 3 years. In fiscal year 2008, the EEOC received 6,285 of pregnancy-bias complaints, up from 5,587 in 2007 and 4,901 in 2006.

Source: EEOC

Under the Maternity and Pregnancy topic at HR.BLR.com, you can learn about the protections that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act offer to pregnant employees.