Part-time Waynesburg police officer files pregnancy-discrimination lawsuit
A part-time Waynesburg police officer 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 and police Chief Robert Toth as defendants.
According to the complaint, Schweikart scored the highest among 13 candidates on the civil service test in 2013. 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. 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 April 13, 2016, she was under his care for her pregnancy, suggested lifting and dragging restrictions and added she could continue on active duty and suggested she have a partner at 35 weeks’ gestation.
After Schweikart hand-delivered the letter to Toth, he allegedly crossed out all of her scheduled shifts from the duty roster.
Toth allegedly told her 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 included office work because of her pregnancy.
In July 2016, the borough hired two full-time officers – one man and one woman – 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 offered only 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 for emotional distress and legal fees.
Waynesburg Borough Manager Mike Simms said Monday he would not comment on the case on the advice of the attorney for the borough insurance company representing the borough in the matter.