In a gripping legal battle, a former payroll clerk at a state college has taken her case to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, accusing her previous employer of discriminatory practices. The complaint was filed by Kabree Saunders-Bethea on November 12, 2025, against Farmingdale State College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system.
The lawsuit alleges that Saunders-Bethea faced discrimination based on her pregnancy and post-partum status, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. According to the complaint, after giving birth and returning to work part-time, Saunders-Bethea encountered hostility from her supervisors when she attempted to utilize maternity leave benefits and sought accommodations for breastfeeding. Despite being entitled to up to 60 workdays of maternity leave under SUNY Farmingdale's policy, she claims that her supervisors were dissatisfied with her decision to take this leave intermittently and pressured her to return full-time prematurely.
Saunders-Bethea also highlights the lack of support for lactating mothers at the college. She alleges that despite legal requirements for employers to provide a private space for expressing breast milk, she was left without adequate facilities. Instead, she resorted to pumping in her car or rushing home during lunch breaks. Her attempts to secure a clean and private space at work were met with indifference and inadequate solutions from her supervisors.
The plaintiff further contends that outdated stereotypes about post-partum mothers influenced decisions made by her superiors. She was denied telecommuting accommodations that would have allowed her to manage both work responsibilities and health needs effectively. When she formally requested such accommodations through SUNY Farmingdale’s Telecommuting Policy, citing medical advice due to anemia and reduced breast milk supply, it was denied on grounds unrelated to job performance.
In retaliation for seeking these rights and challenging internal decisions, Saunders-Bethea alleges that her contract renewal was shortened from one year to six months—a deviation from standard practice—and ultimately terminated shortly after returning full-time. This termination occurred despite positive feedback on her job performance prior to announcing her pregnancy.
Saunders-Bethea is seeking judgment against SUNY Farmingdale for lost wages and benefits, emotional distress damages, punitive damages for willful conduct by the college's HR department, pre-judgment interest, attorneys' fees, and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Saunders-Bethea is Allegra L. Fishel from the Gender Equality Law Center in Brooklyn. The case is identified as Case No: 25 Cv 6301 with proceedings overseen by judges within the Eastern District Court jurisdiction.
Source: 125cv06301_Saunders_Bethea_v_Farmingdale_State_College_Complaint_Eastern_District_New_York.pdf