Hannaford Bros. co Discriminates/wrongfully terminates pregnant women old town, Maine

I worked at Hannaford for several years. I never had any issues until I got pregnant. First I was told that it was not a good time for me to be pregnant. When my doctor restricted the amount of weight I could lift, the store manager went to other department managers telling them about it and asking if this was normal. They then refused my request to transfer to another department that did not require as much heavy lifting.

My doctor restricted the amount I could lift even more, but they still refused to transfer me out of my department even though it was required that I lift 50-75lbs on a regular basis. I was an evening manager and trained in all the departments in the store. When they refused to follow my doctor's note, my doctor restricted me from any heavy lifting. I was then called into the office and told that I needed to leave the store immidiately, they were putting me on a forced leave of absence.

I ended up going into early labor, 24 weeks pregnant. My doctor said that stress did contribute to my early delivery. Not once did anyone call and check to see how I was or if my son was still alive. He was transfered to Portland for emergency heart surgery, and the ARM from my store called me that day to ask what day I would be able to return to work.

I have never been treated so poorly in my life. The total lack of compassion and understanding completely goes against what Hannaford supposedly stands for. I was let go in June, my son was born at the end of December but didnt come home from the hospital until April. I had explained repeatedly that due to his health I wasn't able to come back to work yet. In Maine they have to hold your job for one year due to Family Medical leave, but they didn't. They fired me, and then proceeded to give me horrible references when I listed them as a former employer.

I was a very good employee. I had no problems in my file, no absences or incidents on record. I was an inconvienience to them and they got rid of me as if I meant nothing. I would never let anyone I love work for this company.