Zale Settles Pregnancy Discrimination Suit

U.S. jeweler Zale has agreed to pay $55,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on behalf of a Zale employee who was allegedly not promoted because she was pregnant.

According to the suit, filed March 15 in the Federal District Court in Alaska by the EEOC, a Zale’s manager told Christina Kantarazis she was not a “good fit” for a management position at the company’s Diamond Center store because she was pregnant and would require maternity leave.

The manager, Mike Berger, allegedly told Kantarazis that she would not have the time for staff development.

The EEOC reportedly decided to file suit after failing to settle the matter out of court.

Zale, according to a statement released by the EEOC, will also train its managers about discrimination.