Former Education Department employee alleges maternity discrimination

Woman was left with no child care options after supervisors revoked plan, lawsuit says

A former Department of Education employee in Pierre sued the department Friday, alleging officials there violated her civil rights when they refused to allow her to work from home after she gave birth.

Kathryn Dryden had been approved to take 12 weeks of maternity leave followed by 12 weeks of hybrid leave where she would work from home while caring for her infant. That plan, she says in her lawsuit, was approved before she started maternity leave on Nov. 9, 2021.

On Jan. 29, 2022, she reported to DOE that her regular maternity leave ended and she would be starting the hybrid leave of working from home on Feb. 1. But two days later, a supervisor called to say DOE officials decided it was not feasible for her to work from home while also caring for an infant.

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