The following is a reprint from "THE DELAWARE COUNTY TIMES"
Pregnant Woman Says Firm Discriminated Against Her

By: Shannon P. Duffy

PHILADELPHIA - A Newtown Square insurance firm has been hit with a federal sex discrimination suit by a Springfield woman.

The woman says she was fired for being three minutes late to work soon after she told her bosses that she was pregnant and would be returning to work after her baby was born.

In the suit, Bernadette T. Oruska, of South Norwinden Drive, says she was hired in July 1995 to work as an administrative assistant at Brown & Brown Insurance.

Oruska claims she was always a competent and efficient employee, but that in June of 1998 she was given a letter that warned she would be fired if she were late to work again.

Although she was late for work once in September 1998, Oruska claims she was neither fired nor disciplined. But several weeks later, Oruska says she told her bosses that she was pregnant.

In January 1999, the suit says, Oruska's boss, Irv Gordon, asked her if she would be returning to work after she delivered her baby and she said that she would.

Soon after, Oruska says she was given another letter that warned she would be fired if she were ever late to work again.

On February 3, 1999, Oruska was three minutes late for work and was immediately fired, the suit says.

But Oruska's lawyer, Diane L. Newman, contends that Oruska's firing was part of a policy at Brown & Brown of discriminating against pregnant female employees.

Oruska's pregnancy "was a determining factor" in the company's decision to fire her, the suit alleges.

The suit demands that Oruska be reinstated to her job with an award of lost wages and punitive damages.