Dearica Hamby, a current forward for the Los Angeles Sparks and former player for the Las Vegas Aces, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Aces, alleging discrimination and retaliation following her disclosure of her pregnancy in 2022. The legal action, initiated on August 12, 2024, names both the WNBA and the Aces as defendants, challenging the treatment Hamby received after revealing her pregnancy to her former team.
Hamby, a three-time All-Star and Olympic athlete, reported her pregnancy to the Aces in August 2022, soon after signing a two-year contract extension. She claims that the Aces' management and head coach, Becky Hammon, reacted negatively to this revelation and inquired about her dedication to the team. According to the complaint, Hammon also accused Hamby of signing her extension while knowing she was already pregnant.
Hamby contends that her pregnancy disclosure led to discriminatory actions by the Aces, including the failure to uphold contractual promises and altering the terms of her benefits. The lawsuit also accuses the Aces of retaliating against Hamby by trading her to the Los Angeles Sparks in January 2023, shortly after her public pregnancy announcement.
Hamby criticizes the WNBA’s investigation into her claims, arguing that it was inadequate and failed to address the discriminatory practices. Ultimately, Hammon was only given a two-game suspension for “a violation of league and team ‘respect in the workplace’ policies.”
In Nevada, pregnancy-related discrimination in the workplace is governed by both federal and state laws, which provide critical protections for employees. The federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) mandates that employers must treat pregnancy-related conditions the same as other temporary disabilities, ensuring that pregnant employees are not unfairly penalized or discriminated against. Additionally, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) offers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for eligible employees for childbirth and related medical conditions. Nevada state law further enforces these protections through the Nevada Fair Employment Practices Act (NFEPA) and the Pregnancy Accommodation Law, requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related medical conditions and to treat pregnant employees equally.
In Dearica Hamby's case, her lawsuit against the Las Vegas Aces and the WNBA highlights allegations of discriminatory treatment following her pregnancy disclosure. Hamby claims that after revealing her pregnancy, she experienced adverse changes in her working conditions, including unfair treatment, retaliation, and ultimately being traded from the team. She argues that these actions violate legal protections against pregnancy-related discrimination.
After filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Hamby received her 'Notice of Right to Sue,' which led to her recent legal action against her former team.
Seeking economic losses and a jury trial, the legal documents argue that the Aces’ actions and the WNBA’s response violated both federal and state anti-discrimination laws.
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