Mother of 3 denied promotion because she 'had a lot on her plate'

When candidates ask why they were turned down for a job or a promotion, it’s common for the manager to come up with an explanation that makes the news easier to handle. But this recent case shows why that’s a bad idea:
A woman applied for a promotion, but lost out to a female co-worker. According to the hiring manager, it was because she had performed poorly in her interview.
But when the employee asked why she didn’t get the job, the hiring manager told her, “It was nothing you did or didn’t do … you just have a lot on your plate right now,” referring to the woman’s children: a set of six-year-old triplets.
The employee sued, claiming she missed out on the job because she was a mother.
The manager argued the interview was the real reason and said she only mentioned the children to the employee to “soften the blow.”
But the judge didn’t buy that. Without enough evidence to prove otherwise, the court took the comment at face value and refused to throw out the case.
Cite: Chadwick v. Wellpoint, Inc.