Savi Technology responds to pregnancy discrimination claim

Published August 14, 2014 by Jessica Sabbath

Savi Technology said Thursday that a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against the company last week omitted several key facts.

The EEOC filed a lawsuit against Alexandria-based Savi, alleging that the company rescinded a job offer after “learning that a successful candidate had recently given birth.”

The EEOC said the woman had been offered a position as director of human resources at the company after telephone and in-person interviews. The day after the company offered her the job, the woman said she the told the company’s vice president and general counsel that she was recovering from surgery after recently giving birth, according to the suit.

The EEOC lawsuit alleges the company then rescinded the offer, therefore violating the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions.

Savi said Thursday that the EEOC had “misrepresented events, and the allegations in its press release omitted several key facts.”

The company said it was fully aware that the applicant had recently given birth before offering her the job. Savi’s release said the offer was rescinded because the applicant had “formally rejected Savi’s offer of employment by countering with new and materially different terms, that Savi found unacceptable given the company’s legitimate business requirements at the time.”

In response, Savi rejected the counter offer and rescinded the employment offer.

“Savi is extremely proud of its employee and family-friendly culture and policies,” the company said. “Savi is disappointed that the EEOC chose to take this action, but Savi looks forward to vindicating its rights in a court of law.”

EEOC’s lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria division, after first trying to reach a pre-litigation settlement. The suit seeks lost wages, compensatory and punitive damages and includes an injunction prohibiting Savi from discriminating based on sex.

Savi said it would not comment further on the matter until legal proceedings have concluded.