Until now, the Spanish airline Iberia apparently required prospective female hires to take a pregnancy test. But don’t worry—they say the policy was in place to protect pregnant employees. Whew! What a relief!
The New York Times reports the airline has announced it will drop the tests, after public blowback in Spain and getting slapped with a 25,000 euro fine by the Balearic Islands.
The carrier, which is part of the International Airlines Group — one of the world’s largest air travel businesses and the parent company of British Airways and Aer Lingus — said the test was among multiple examinations that were administered after candidates had been selected to be hired but before a formal job offer was tendered.
“Given the controversy, arising from the current protocol in place to protect pregnant women, we will no longer include a pregnancy test in the medical examination for new hires,” said Maria Teresa Garcia Menéndez, the company’s health and safety officer.
The airline “said it had not rejected any qualified candidates for being pregnant, insisting that it had strict rules for protecting pregnant employees,” according to the Times. Nevertheless, pregnant employees would probably at the very least prefer being able to inform their boss on their own clock.