Dias, 34, was a computer teacher at two of the archdiocese’s East Price Hill, Ohio, schools — Holy Family and St. Lawrence — in 2010 when she told officials she needed maternity leave. That surprised officials because Dias is single and having a child outside of marriage violates Catholic teaching. When she told them how she became pregnant, also a violation of Catholic teachings, she was fired. The archdiocese argued that her employment contract spelled out that she must live within Catholic teachings.

Highlights:

Christa Dias became pregnant through artificial insemination

She taught computers at two Catholic schools in the Cincinnati area

The archdiocese fired her in 2010

CINCINNATI — The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati discriminated against a teacher it fired after the unmarried teacher became pregnant by artificial insemination, a federal jury decided Monday, awarding her $171,000.

The case was viewed as a barometer on the degree to which religious organizations can regulate employees’ lives.

“I was relieved. It’s been a very, very long road,” Dias said after the verdict before U.S. District Court Judge Susan Dlott.

“Now, I can go on with my life.”

Dias, 34, was a computer teacher at two of the archdiocese’s East Price Hill, Ohio, schools — Holy Family and St. Lawrence — in 2010 when she told officials she needed maternity leave. That surprised officials because Dias is single and having a child outside of marriage violates Catholic teaching.

When she told them how she became pregnant, also a violation of Catholic teachings, she was fired.

The archdiocese argued that her employment contract spelled out that she must live within Catholic teachings.

She countered, though, that she wasn’t a “ministerial employee” whose responsibility included teaching religion or Catholicism.

A jury agreed with her Monday, after deliberating about eight hours over two days, and found the archdiocese liable.

The five-woman, three-man jury also awarded her punitive damages of $100,000, and compensatory damages of $71,000. Dias’ attorneys had asked the jury to award her $637,000.

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