Employer ordered to pay $22.5M for newborn's death after denying mom's work-from-home request during high-risk pregnancy

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: WXIX-TV

Employer ordered to pay $22.5M for newborn’s death after denying mom’s work-from-home request during high-risk pregnancy

A jury ordered TQL to pay $22.5 million for a newborn’s death after denying the mom’s request to work from home during her high-risk pregnancy. (Source: WXIX)

By FOX19 Digital Staff and Gray News staff
Published: Mar. 19, 2026 at 3:43 PM MST | Updated: 2 hours ago

CINCINNATI (WXIX/Gray News) — A jury in Ohio ordered an employer to pay $22.5 million for a newborn’s death after denying the mother’s request to work from home during her high-risk pregnancy. ... On Thursday, the jury in Hamilton County found that Total Quality Logistics (TQL) was largely responsible for the baby’s death.

A press release from the family’s attorneys said Chelsea Walsh had a pregnancy-related procedure in early February 2021 and was classified as high-risk. Her doctors told her to limit activity, stay on modified bed rest and work from home. ... Her lawyers said that when Walsh asked to work remotely, TQL denied the request.

Walsh was reportedly told to return to the office immediately after the procedure and fill out leave paperwork. She was eventually placed on leave — a decision she did not agree with, her lawyers said. ... On Feb. 24, TQL told Walsh she could work from home, but only after a third party, unrelated to the company, made the request.

The approval, however, came too late because that same day, Walsh was hospitalized with complications and gave birth to her daughter, Magnolia Walsh. ... Walsh’s lawyers said Magnolia was born at 20 weeks, six days of gestation and died several hours later.

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Read more: https://www.azfamily.com/2026/03/19/employer-ordered-pay-225m-newborns-death-after-denying-moms-work-from-home-request-during-high-risk-pregnancy/

[Hugin]

1. Tragic and unnecessary...

[niyad]

2. May all involved receive everything they deserve.

[moniss]

3. The company has had other

sorts of issues over the years.

[EuterpeThelo]

4. I wish

that money would come straight out of the personal pockets of the people who made that decision. Otherwise, the crappy thing is that draining the company's budget by this much, shit will roll downhill and they'll probably just reduce benefits and services for the employees that remain there. Just like the effect of the sane portion of our citizenry who keeps having to sue this maladministration for wrongdoing...and then they have to pay out using our own tax money as the funds.

The pandemic proved beyond a shadow of a doubt how unnecessary it was for millions of us to slog into an office every day. I am fortunate that I have supportive bosses and have now worked from home for six years, but have watched as the business/legal/financial industry reverted back to demanding people return to often hellish commutes and wasted time and productivity for NO good reason - it's mainly to justify the expensive leases into which companies have entered. (Even my own firm has gone back to a 4 day workweek citing "culture" and "client demand" - I'm just lucky I locked it in early on with a formal agreement, which they're still honoring.)

This poor woman will suffer for a lifetime now because of this bullsh!t. I'm so heartbroken for her and her family. This didn't have to happen!

[travelingthrulife]

5. If a logistics job can't be done from home...

Hope they have to pay every dime. And then I hope the Person responsible is jailed. There need to be real punishments for these people. Not just financial slaps on the wrist.