Hotel is target of discrimination suit

The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit in U. S. District Court in Oxford against a Holiday Inn franchise in Batesville, charging that the company fired an employee after learning she was pregnant.

The Holiday Day Inn franchise is owned by Jiji Inc., a company based in Batesville that owns, manages and operates hotel facilities in Mississippi. Jiji Inc. is named as the defendant in the lawsuit.

The EEOC filed the lawsuit on behalf of Te’Shawn Harmon, who was hired as a desk clerk on Aug. 5, 2011, and was let go from her job on Aug. 8, 2011.

In the suit, the agency charges that Harmon was fired by the company after she told her manager she was pregnant.

She was then replaced the next day by another employee who was not pregnant.

The EEOC said the alleged conduct by the company violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended by the pregnancy discrimination act.

The federal agency has asked the court to order Jiji Inc. to give Harmon back pay, compensation and punitive damages.

It also asked for reinstatement for Harmon.