What is Employment Discrimination?
The workplace is one of the most common places where discrimination occurs. In 2017, over...
Pregnancy discrimination takes place when an employee who is pregnant or planning to start a family is discriminated against by her employer for her status or choice. If you are pregnant or are planning to get pregnant and your employer refuses to allow you to take leaves for your medical check-up or provide you with reasonable accommodations at work, then your employer could be guilty of pregnancy discrimination.
There are numerous ways that your employer can discriminate against you or your fellow employees at work. The visible indicators that you are experiencing pregnancy discrimination in the workplace are when you are made fun of, ridiculed, or harassed by your employer in plain sight of your co-workers because of your pregnancy. However, even if you were not directly or visibly harassed, you can still be a victim of discrimination. This indirect discrimination scenario can occur when you are not being provided the same compensation as your co-workers, such as leaves or overtime pay, or are being bypassed for promotions and pay increases due to your personal choices.
In any of the instances of discrimination mentioned, you have a right to seek damages against your employer for unpaid wages, benefits, and other monetary damages, including non-monetary compensation for your pain and suffering, and other losses suffered on account of your employer’s unjust acts.
However, seeking remuneration from your employer is never easy. You will face insurance adjusters as well as defense lawyers who will do anything to help their client escape liability and keep them from paying for damages. Hence, if you are serious about claiming the compensation you deserve, never pursue your claims nor reach for a settlement with the party at fault alone since it will only put you in a distinct disadvantage. Instead, contact a reputable law firm to know how to proceed with your claims properly. Seek help immediately from los angeles employment discrimination lawyers who are known for their aggressiveness in fighting for the plights of discriminated employees in the workplace.
What to Do in Case of Pregnancy Discrimination
Discrimination on the basis of pregnancy still exists in hundreds of workplaces in the United States. While employers are supposed to be aware of the fact that all forms of discrimination are illegal under federal and state employment laws, there are still a handful of employers who violate their employees’ rights with impunity. In California, among other discriminatory acts, pregnancy discrimination is another form of public policy violation that is being closely monitored and curtailed at work. Pregnancy discrimination happens when an employee is treated differently or poorly at work on account of her pregnant state.
How Pregnancy Discrimination Is Committed
Acts of discrimination can manifest in many forms. There are overt and introvert acts that employers do to harass or mistreat their marginalized employees.
- Overt Acts – Not being allowed medical leaves to have a routine checkup or consult with a medical professional during pregnancy or not being provided with reasonable accommodations are overt acts of pregnancy discrimination. Being assigned difficult tasks that could be detrimental to your health and the health of your unborn child are also overt acts of harassment at work on account of your pregnant state.
- Introvert Acts – When you are not being given the same wage or benefits as your other co-workers, then you are being discriminated against through violation of your labor law rights. These may include the refusal of your employer or company to give you your mandated employee or company benefits and other forms of compensation that a regular employee receives.
Laws Protecting Your Rights
In California alone, several laws have been passed to protect pregnant mothers against unjust employers in the workplace. These laws include:
- California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA),
- California Pregnancy Disability Leave Law (PDLL) and
- California Family Rights Act (CFRA).
The laws enumerated above state that pregnant employees should be treated justly and provided due consideration due to their pregnant state. If you are not given reasonable accommodations and feel that California maternity leave laws are not being followed in your workplace, then your employer could be facing several pregnancy discrimination cases. You have the right, under the above laws, to file for damages against your employer.
What Not to Do When Filing Pregnancy Discrimination Claims
A lot of victims of pregnancy discrimination acts commit the mistake of negotiating their claims or reaching for a settlement on their own. You should be aware that your employer will likely have the resources and connections to fight your claims, thus pursuing your claims alone may work against your favor. Your employer would also be covered by insurance, so you should expect the insurance adjuster to be very skilled at scrutinizing or exploiting loopholes and technicalities in your claims until they get denied or significantly reduced.
Also, your employer can hire and be represented by experienced defense lawyers who are knowledgeable about employment and labor laws and can use their skills in circumventing your rights. Pursuing your discrimination claims against seasoned defense lawyers can also make your claims reduced or waived altogether due to technicalities in your claims or your lack of knowledge of proper legal proceedings. These scenarios make it ill-advised to pursue your claims on your own and instead consult with professionals to know what to do in these scenarios.
Seek Help From a Top Pregnancy Discrimination Attorney
If you want to obtain the maximum amount of compensation for your claims, you should seek help from a trusted law firm that specializes in labor law. Mesriani Law Group has some of the best employment lawyers in California, with proven track records in winning labor law violation cases. Our team prides itself on not just our experience and tenacity, but also in our dedication to establishing great attorney-client relationships.
We can help you fight for your rights and get you the proper compensation you deserve. Don’t be afraid of the legal costs, as we have a No Win, No Fee guarantee to ensure that we provide top-notch legal service to everyone who needs it. Consult with pregnancy, age, disability, gender, religious and racial discrimination lawyers today.
