Subject: Fearing Job Discrimination, DC Woman "Forced" to Have Abortion
Source: Washington Times; August 30, 2001

Fearing Job Discrimination, DC Woman "Forced" to Have Abortion

Washington, DC -- A D.C. medical worker aborted her child for fear of
losing her job after she and other rookie employees were threatened with
job termination if they became pregnant or took medical leave.

A top official from the fire department's Emergency Medical Service told
about eight medical rookies last month that they could not become pregnant
because they are on probation for a year and have no job benefits,
according to the medical union's chairman, five department sources and
union attorney Louis Malone. Union Chairman Kenneth Lyons and the sources
said the official is Samanthia Robinson, interim assistant chief of
operations for EMS.

"The female medics were told if they get pregnant the first year, they
will be fired," said Lyons.

A rookie, who was pregnant at the time, expressed concern to Robinson when
supervisors were giving out ambulance assignments, the sources said.
Robinson then told her she should get an abortion if she wanted to keep
her job, Lyons and the sources said.

Robinson "basically strong-armed her into getting an abortion," said a
fire department source who has spoken to the rookie about the problem.

"Those comments are blatantly illegal," and violate the Pregnancy
Discrimination Act, said Malone, who represents AFGE Local 3721, whose
members includes medics and emergency medical technicians in the
department.

The threat of job termination and Robinson's suggestion so frightened the
woman that she felt compelled to have an abortion even though she is a
Roman Catholic, said sources, including one who has spoken to her about
the problem. The woman got the abortion "directly as a result" of Robinson
"telling her she couldn't keep her job and be pregnant," said a fire
department source who has spoken to the woman about the situation.

D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief Ronnie Few yesterday said
through a spokesman that the matter has just now been brought to his
attention, and it will be examined fully. "This allegation is not
department policy," said department spokesman Alan Etter. If the events
did occur, he said, the chief considers the matter very serious.

The woman, 21, is trying to avoid publicity because she is still
distraught, and the abortion has caused a rift with her family, several
department sources said. "She is young, religious, scared and ashamed,"
said one source. "She feels she has morally abused herself."

Other department sources, including a medic who recently worked with her,
echoed that characterization.

"This poor girl. She's a young girl, naive and would do anything to save
her job," said one medic who has worked with the woman. "She was given the
impression that that's what she had to do for her job, so she went out and
did it."

The woman, who is engaged, has suffered medical problems since the
abortion, according to Lyons, medics who have worked with the her and
other department sources. Several department sources who have worked with
the woman have described her as "distraught."

Officials with the medic union have been collecting statements from the
rookies who said they were threatened. Many have been hesitant to provide
the written accounts because they fear retaliation, Lyons said. Lyons told
The Washington Times that he raised the matter with Chief Few, and the
chief later told him that Robinson denied making the statement. Malone
confirmed that Lyons had brought the matter to Chief Few in the past
several weeks, and that the chief issued a denial.

One source said the woman has been subject to harassment by supervisors as
word of the incident has spread within the department.

Malone said at least 10 women in the department have called him in the
past few weeks to recount other incidents where officials discriminated
against them because of pregnancy. "When they heard about this, it has
really triggered their consciousness," he said.