Avoid Bias Claims Related to Workers' Family-Care Duties

FRD stands for "family-responsibility discrimination." It doesn't represent a new kind of discrimination law, but it does encompass the growing number of cases that deal with issues involving employees' family responsibilities such as child-rearing, pregnancy, breast-feeding, sick children and paternity. There is no federal law expressly dedicated to caregiver discrimination.

FRD plaintiffs have pursued their claims under a variety of state and federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

This article appeared in the April 25, 2008 issue of the Charlotte Business Journal.