5 Troopers Suing Massachusetts State Police For Alleged Parental Leave Discrimination
BOSTON (CBS) -- Five troopers are suing the Massachusetts State Police for alleged discrimination.
The troopers allege they lose seniority when they go on maternity leave or have to deal with medical or personal issues, and it prevents them from getting better assignments or overtime shifts.
The lawyer representing the troopers say this has a disproportionate impact on women who have given birth and is blatantly discriminatory.
In the lawsuit, Trooper Serena Trodella said that her seniority fell to very bottom on her first day of maternity leave when she gave birth to her child in 2021.
Another plaintiff, Trooper Aimee Bodge, gave birth to her second child in March of 2021 and took maternity leave in May. On the first day of maternity leave, her seniority dropped to the class to the bottom.
The same allegedly happened to Trooper Katie Lorenco, who had a baby in March of 2021 and similarly took maternity leave in May of that year.
In the lawsuit, there was one male plaintiff, Trooper Joao Christian Barros. It says he had hoped to take paternity leave for his newborn son last April, but decided against it after learning he would lose his seniority.
A trooper's seniority is based on his or her rank within their graduating class at the academy.
The suit was filed in Suffolk Superior Court.