SAN FRANCISCO - Aaron Gordon Construction Inc. (AGC) faces a lawsuit in the San Francisco County Superior Court after allegedly firing a new father for taking time off to be with his wife and newborn, according to documents filed on Feb. 16.
Plaintiff Matthew Aldridge was a project manager enjoying a successful career at AGC, the lawsuit said. He was quickly promoted, frequently praised and received more than one raise, the suit says.
In February 2019, Aldridge informed his superiors that he and his wife were expecting a child to be born in September of that year. Aldridge discussed his parental leave with AGC CEO Aaron Gordon, who allegedly criticized the plaintiff's request for six weeks of time to be with his wife and newborn.
The plaintiff says he was then guilted into significantly shortening his leave to two weeks, but his wife experienced medical complications and Aldridge would soon request to continue exercising his right to job-protected parental leave and would take an additional four weeks off less than a month later.
In the brief time that Aldridge was back to work, he was allegedly treated unfairly and with hostility from CEO Gordon in retaliation to his expectation of parental leave.
When the plaintiff reported back to work after his final day of leave, he was abruptly terminated for his "bad judgment call" in taking time off to be with his wife and baby, the suit says.
Aldridge sued for interference in violation of the New Parent Leave Act, retaliation in violation of the New Parent Leave Act and wrongful termination.
The plaintiff is represented by Anne Costin of Costin Law Inc. of San Francisco.