Kroger-Owned Fred Meyer Fired a Pregnant Worker the Same Day She Requested Time Off for Childbirth, the EEOC Says

Fred Meyer allegedly denied a pregnant worker’s request for a role with easier restroom access, then fired her months later. (Credit: Caldorwards4/Wikimedia Commons Public Domain)

Kroger-owned Fred Meyer allegedly fired a pregnant employee on the same day she requested time off for childbirth, after previously disciplining her for pregnancy-related absences and refusing to consider her for another position, according to a federal lawsuit filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The EEOC filed the lawsuit on 30 September 2026, alleging pregnancy discrimination against two employees at the supermarket chain's Vancouver, Washington store in 2023. The allegations have not been proven in court.