News You Can Use: Supremes to hear case on crediting pregnacy leave for calculating pension

Today the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in AT&T v. Hulteen, a case that will address how employers should factor maternity leave into calculating years of service for pension benefits.

The women bringing the suit are retired AT&T employees who took pregnancy-related leave prior to the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act in 1979. Before the law became effective, AT&T limited the amount of pregnancy leave that could be credited as years of service, but did not limit other types of disability leave. As a result, the women received smaller pensions than if they'd been given full credit for pregnancy leave.

The case will address whether the benefits limit is a violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.