MOUNT RAINIER, Md. — A police officer in Mount Rainier, Maryland, says her department mistreated her because of her pregnancy last year. Audrey Calloway, a sergeant with the Mount Rainier Police Department, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and made an official demand of the city for discrimination.
In the EEOC complaint, Calloway alleges that she was ordered to get a second opinion to prove she was actually pregnant in January of 2022.
"I was kind of hurt by that. I was like, 'I have a doctor's note stating that I am pregnant. Why do I need to get a second opinion?" Calloway said.
Then, she was placed on "standby" while the city "figured out" what to do with her.
"During the standby notice, I felt like, did I do something wrong? Am I under investigation?" Calloway said.
The complaint says the city determined Calloway was unable to work because she was pregnant and forced her to share her family leave with her husband, who also works for the police department. She claimed the city refused to extend her maternity leave, even after she had an unexpected emergency c-section, and after the c-section, was forced to wear a 20-pound gun belt on top of her incision.
Additionally, Calloway claims that the city of Mount Rainier failed to provide lactation rooms and made no provisions for her to store milk for her baby.
Calloway, who has been a police officer for 14 years, said the whole ordeal made her feel "discarded."
"Childbirth is not a new concept. Women have been having babies for centuries. Because Mount Rainier did not know what to do when Sgt. Calloway said she was pregnant, they punished her with discrimination and a lack of support," said attorney Megan Best.
Attorney Charles Tucker said this type of discrimination will not stand.
"The city of Mount Rainier is on notice that these actions are discriminatory and in violation of the law, most importantly cities across America should be on notice," Tucker said.
We have reached out to Mount Rainier Police Department and the city of Mount Rainier, but have not yet been given a comment.
