Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby has filed a federal lawsuit against the league and her former team, alleging discrimination by the Las Vegas Aces after she disclosed her pregnancy.
NBC News reported that the lawsuit names the league as a defendant for allegedly failing to adequately address the discrimination by the Aces following an investigation last year.
Hamby, a 30-year-old All-Star and recent Olympic champion, shared her pregnancy news with Aces staff in August 2022, shortly after signing a two-year contract extension with the team. The lawsuit states that after revealing her pregnancy on social media, the Aces began treating her differently, including not paying her daughter’s school tuition and asking her to leave team-provided housing without explanation.
The lawsuit also mentions a conversation with Aces head coach Becky Hammon in January 2023, where Hammon questioned Hamby’s commitment to the team due to her pregnancy. This conversation ultimately led to Hamby’s trade to the Sparks, with Hammon citing strategic reasons for the move.
Despite an investigation by the WNBA in May 2023 that resulted in a suspension for Hammon and penalties for the team, Hamby believes the league’s response was insufficient and filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging discrimination. The EEOC ruled in May that Hamby had the right to sue her former team.
Hamby’s attorney emphasized that federal laws protect pregnant women from discrimination in the workplace and expressed concern that female players in the WNBA should not fear job loss or penalties due to pregnancy.
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