It is the time of celebration, but instead, pregnant employees fear losing their jobs or working with they will be mistreated and unable to get a fair deal.
Unfortunately, discrimination against pregnant employees is still common. Many employers violate both federal and California state laws in doing so. Early recognition of the warning signals is important. More often than not, hiring a top-flight pregnancy discrimination lawyer can make all the difference in keeping your rights intact and winning just resources.
The blog post is about Pregnancy Discrimination (what is that). It also explains seven red flags, when it’s time to call a lawyer, and how one might help a pregnant woman move forward without flatulence.
Understanding Pregnancy Discrimination
When a boss treats an employee or applicant unfavourably because the employee is pregnant, has just given birth, or has related medical conditions, he or she may be guilty of pregnancy discrimination. Under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), it is illegal to:
- Fire or demote a female employee because she is pregnant
- A woman applicant who is highly qualified for the job may not be hired simply because she has just given birth
- Refusal of the employer to give concealed or decreased duties under these circumstances
- An employer takes revenge on a person for taking pregnancy-related leave
Despite clear legal safeguards, many women suffer subtle—and sometimes overt—forms of discrimination. That is where legal aid becomes necessary.
7 Red Flags That Signal You Need Fair Treatment
The next seven bullet points may mean that it’s time to consult a pregnancy discrimination attorney:
- You Were Demoted or Fired After Announcing Your Pregnancy
One of the more blatant forms of pregnancy discrimination occurs when an employee is terminated, laid off, or demoted shortly after announcing her pregnancy to her boss or employer. If there is no valid and documented reason for the change in employment status, this violation of the law is typically egregious.
- If Your Employer Will Not Provide Reasonable Accommodations
Under California state law, employers are required to offer reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related medical necessities. This may include extra breaks, an office chair, or easier tasks. If your employer disapproves of these accommodations or makes the working environment more difficult, get hold of a pregnancy discrimination attorney in Los Angeles now.
- You’re Given a Hard Time with Leave (or They Try to Prevent You from Taking It)
Both the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA) provide up to 12 weeks of leave from work for pregnancy and childbirth that is job-protected. If your employer attempts to shorten your leave, refuses your request, or palpably tries to persuade you to head back to work early, then this merits legal action.
- You’re Treated Differently Than Other Employees Who Are Not Pregnant
Have you stopped being invited to meetings, passed over for opportunities, or taken off major projects once you announced being pregnant? If your treatment perceptibly shifts without convincing business reasons, it could be hidden discrimination.
- You Are Subjected to Harassment or Offensive Remarks
Hostile comments or jokes about your pregnancy, especially from a team leader or higher-up, can make for an uncomfortable work environment. You should not put up with such behaviour. A pregnancy discrimination attorney can evaluate whether this meets the legal definition of harassment.
- Your Employer Retaliates After You File a Complaint
Filing a complaint with HR or requesting accommodations should not lead to retaliation. If you are suddenly disciplined, written up, or given poor performance reviews after defending your rights, that is a clear indication of employer retaliation–and grounds for legal action.
- You’re Told Pregnancy Makes You “Unfit” for Your Role
Employers are not allowed to make decisions based on stereotypes that use out-of-date ideas. If you are told that your pregnancy itself constitutes a risk, or that people won’t want to work with you because they’re pregnant and believe you are dirty –it’s not just immoral, however, this kind of activity is illegal. With statements like these, it is essential to consult a pregnancy discrimination attorney right away.
How a Pregnancy Discrimination Attorney Can Help
A knowledgeable attorney does more than just argue the law. They will:
- Consider whether or not your employer’s actions have broken the law in light of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and simple justice.
- Obtain all available documents and statements from witnesses.
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) should be filed with claims.
- Settle out of court, or if need be, sue.
- Make sure you are compensated for lost wages, emotional suffering, and heading into the future.
Having a skilled pregnancy discrimination attorney in Los Angeles on your side is essential, especially when facing large corporations or hard-hearted Human Resources teams.
When to Consult an Attorney
The best time to consult an attorney is when you notice something is not right. Whether or not your employer’s treatment of you meets the legal definition of discrimination, get a short legal consultation to find out your rights and options.
Don’t wait until you have lost your job or missed the time limit for filing complaints. Under California law there is a deadline–quite strict in some cases, as in 1 year to file with CRD or 300 days to file with EEOC–and an attorney can ensure all these procedural requirements are met and prevent expensive mistakes.
Conclusion
Pregnancy should never become a reason why you fear for your job security or suffer unfair treatment at work. If any of the above red flags have happened to you, then it’s time to talk with a trustworthy pregnancy discrimination attorney.
The continued existence of legal protection makes sense, and you should take full advantage of that. But with the right pregnancy discrimination lawyer on your side, we can fight against wrongs that have been done. We can keep our jobs and begin to build a corporate culture where being a parent is an advantage, not something for which you are punished.
