January 1, Pregnant Worker’s Remote Request Denied Firm Hit With $22.5M

Wyatt’s Take

• Chelsea Walsh was denied a work-from-home request during a high-risk pregnancy despite doctors ordering bed rest.
• TQL allegedly forced the mother to choose between her paycheck and her baby’s health.
• The child was born at 20 weeks and died shortly after birth in her mother’s arms.

Wyatt Matters

Family is the backbone of our nation, and hard work should never come with the threat of being denied basic medical accommodations.

Court filings show that TQL managers initially blocked the request for remote work. The company only relented after internal discussions about avoiding potential legal trouble.

Tragically, the approval came the same day Walsh went into premature labor. Her daughter, Magnolia, lived for only ninety minutes after being born.

Magnolia had a heartbeat, was breathing, and exhibited fetal movement, the lawsuit detailed.

A jury determined that the company’s refusal to accommodate a medical necessity was a direct cause of wrongful death. Company representatives claim the facts were mischaracterized and are evaluating their legal options.

The jury found that TQL’s denial of that reasonable request led to the death of her daughter, Walsh’s attorney noted after the verdict.