A Fort Lauderdale resort will pay $100,000 to a worker fired 4 days after a stillbirth

A line cook fired by a Fort Lauderdale resort will get $100,000 in back pay and damages in the settlement of a lawsuit that alleged the resort fired the employee when she requested time to deal with a stillbirth.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit filed on behalf of the woman said Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club violated the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it fired her.

Officially, the consent decree approved Friday in Fort Lauderdale federal court says Lago Mar, 1700 S. Ocean Ln., “expressly denies all of these allegations and states that, by entering into this consent decree, it admits no wrongdoing or violation of the law.”

The decree also states Lago Mar will pay $7,920 in back pay damages and $92,080 in compensatory damages to its former employee. The company also has to make any adjustments to company policies necessary for workers to be provided reasonable accommodations under ADA and PWFA, appoint an equal employment opportunity coordinator and report any discrimination complaints to the EEOC.

READ MORE: Broward company fired a Black Hispanic man who reported boss’ racist behavior: lawsuit

Five Days in July

July 2, 2023: The lawsuit says the woman was five months pregnant when, while off work, she “began experiencing complications related to her pregnancy and was admitted to the hospital for evaluation.” The stillbirth occurred that day.

July 3: She texted her supervisor, the lawsuit said, informing him that she had been admitted to the hospital over the weekend and would provide a doctor’s note on when she can safely return to work.”

July 4: She emailed the Lago Mar’s head of food and beverage, “notifying him of her pregnancy loss and that she would follow-up with a doctor’s note on when she could return to work.”

July 5: The lawsuit said she sent a doctor’s letter that told Lago Mar she’d suffered a pregnancy loss and “she would need approximately six weeks to recuperate physically and to grieve.”

July 6: She “received a letter from Lago Mar’s general manager terminating her employment. Lago Mar did not engage (her) in any interactive process concerning her request for leave as an accommodation prior to terminating her employment.”