SACRAMENTO (CN) - A dentist demanded that his employees seek his permission to get pregnant, and asked for details of their menstrual cycles and whether they used condoms, a former employee - who got pregnant - claims in Federal Court. Regina Flores claims Michael Tavallaei, DDS, part owner of Make a Smile Corp., was not pleased when she told him she was pregnant in July 2008.
Flores claims Tavallaei told her that her "pay would have to be cut because she would not be as effective or efficient of an employee during her pregnancy."
Flores claims that at a meeting called to address the pregnancies of other women at the office, Tavallaei said he would fire anyone who got pregnant without his consent and that he didn't care if that violated labor laws.
Flores claims that Tavallaei also asked each woman at the office when her last menstrual cycle was, and if they were all using condoms.
Flores says she informed Tavallaei that she was pregnant in October 2008.
He was furious, she said, and "yelled at her that she had not planned the pregnancy with him."
Flores says her pay was cut by $2 an hour and that she was afraid to return to work after giving birth because of how Tavallaei might treat her.
Flores sued the dentist and the corporation.
She demands actual and punitive damages for harassment, sex and pregnancy discrimination, constructive firing, retaliation, privacy invasion, emotional distress and labor law violations. She is represented by Jordan Peters.
Follow @MariaDinzeo
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