Part-time Waynesburg police office files pregnancy-discrimination lawsuit
A part-time police officer for the Waynesburg Police Department has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the borough and the police chief, alleging pregnancy discrimination.
Attorney Matthew Cairone, representing Lisa Schweikart, filed the lawsuit naming the Borough of Waynesburg and Waynesburg Police Chief Robert Toth as defendants.
According to the complaint, Schweikart applied for a position in the Waynesburg Police Department in May 2013 and took a written and oral civil exam on which she was informed she scored the highest among the other 13 candidates.
She was hired in 2014 as a part-time police officer and was informed by Toth that she would be first in line for any full-time position that opened up because of her high test score, but in April and September of 2015, Schweikart wrote letters requesting consideration for an open full-time position, but received no reply from Toth.
Schweikart’s doctor wrote a letter to notify the the borough and Toth on April 13, 2016, that she was under his care for her pregnancy, suggested lifting and dragging restrictions and added that she could continue on active duty and suggested she have a partner at 35 weeks gestation.
Upon having that letter hand delivered by Schweikart to Toth, he allegedly took the duty roster out and crossed out all of her scheduled shifts.
Toth allegedly told her that she could not attend defensive tactics training, formally removed her from all remaining work scheduled, told her she couldn’t drive or be in a patrol vehicle, did not assign her to any other shifts and wouldn’t allow her to work any light duty that inlcluded office work — all because of her pregnancy.
In July 2016, the borough hired two full-time officers — one male and one female — causing Schweikart to believe she was passed over because she was pregnant.
Schweikart was released back to work with no restrictions in May 2017, but since then, she was only offered sporadic work about two days a month, despite a need for part-time officers.
Schweikart is seeking an injunction to revise the borough’s policies with respect to accommodating pregnancies and related conditions, compensation for loss of income and compensation damage for emotional distress and legal fees.
A call placed to the Waynesburg Police Department seeking comment has not yet been returned.