Jersey Mike's employee fired over maternity leave, manager says, ‘It's not a good time'

MARYSVILLE, Wash. — A Jersey Mike's employee in Marysville, Washington, said she was fired because she is pregnant.

Kameisha Denton told KIRO that she realized she hadn't been assigned shifts. When she asked her manager, she claims she received a text message saying that she'd been fired, after telling her boss she was pregnant.

Denton read the text to KIRO, which read: "It's not a good time to have somebody who is leaving for maternity leave in several months anyways."

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Denton said she couldn’t fathom that her manager would send such a message.

“I was just like in shock, it took me a minute to face reality I was like this is really happening,” Denton said. She believes being fired after asking for maternity leave is discrimination. Her baby is due in December.

Denton posted on Facebook. Her post has been shared and commented on so much, she can't keep up with responses.

“I knew that it wasn't OK,” she said.

KIRO 7 spoke to the owner of Jersey Mike's, Tim Trieb, who said he offered Denton her job back, but she declined.

He said the manager who sent Denton the message has resigned, adding, “(It) should have never ever happened…It's our policy to treat everybody equally.”

According to Washington state law, “It is an unfair practice for an employer, because of pregnancy or childbirth, to: refuse to hire or promote, terminate, or demote, a woman.”

Denton now said her fortunes are shifting.

“Message after message, employees wanting me to work for them,” Denton said. “I look at it as a blessing.”

She also said she wants to send a message to other women like her.

“It's OK to speak up because they probably felt embarrassed, mixed emotions about it because a lot of people think that this is OK when it's not,” Denton said.

KIRO 7 did reach out to the manager who sent the text message -- but he did not return the call.

Cox Media Group