Family law expert Professor Tanya Washington with Georgia State University is available to speak to media about the pregnancy discrimination case before the U.S. Supreme Court involving a Lorton, Va. woman against UPS.

Washington says, “The Supreme Court's decision in this case will determine pregnant employees' entitlement to accommodations during their pregnancy. Businesses argue it will affect their fiscal bottom line (i.e., slow productivity) if they have to provide accommodations to employees during the term of their pregnancy. A ruling that UPS unlawfully terminated Peggy Young because she was unable to perform certain duties inherent in her job would be a victory for women in the workplace and give teeth to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act."

"However, it may also motivate employers to be more reticent to hire women who are of child-bearing years," she continued. "A favorable ruling for Mrs. Young may win the battle but ultimately compromise the war in terms of gender and sex equality in the workplace.”

In addition to being an expert in family law, Washington has researched extensively on educational equity and issues arising at the intersection of domestic relations, race and children’s constitutional rights. Her scholarship has been published in numerous legal journals and she is regularly quoted in media on topics such as same-sex marriage and rights, transracial and same-sex adoption, adoption rights, domestic relations and domestic violence, race and education.

Prior to joining Georgia State Law, Washington was a toxic tort defense litigator at Piper & Marbury. She holds a B.A. degree from James Madison University and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. She completed the Albert M. Sacks Fellowship, the A. Leon Higginbotham Fellowship and earned her LL.M. from Harvard Law School. She also completed a visiting assistant professorship at the University of Maryland School of Law.