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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-ups or provide you with reasonable accommodations at work, then your employer could be guilty of pregnancy discrimination.
There are many ways that your employer can discriminate against you at work. Some apparent 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, such as when you are not being provided the same compensation as your co-workers or are being bypassed for promotions and pay increases due to your personal choices.
In any of the foregoing instances, 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 or even defense lawyers who will do anything to help their client escape liability. Hence, if you are serious about claiming the compensation you deserve, seek legal help from Mesriani Law Group’s pregnancy 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 US. 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 those 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
Discrimination can manifest in many forms. There are overt and introvert acts that employers do to harass or unjustly treat their marginalized employees.
- Overt Acts – When you are not allowed medical leaves to get checked out by a medical professional during pregnancy, denied of reasonable accommodations, or assigned difficult tasks that could be detrimental to your health and the health of your unborn child, you are being directly or overtly discriminated against at work.
- Introvert Acts – When you are not being given the same wage or benefits as other co-workers with similar work, then you are being discriminated against through violation of your labor law rights.
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)
- California Family Rights Act (CFRA)
The above laws state that pregnant employees should be treated justly and provided due consideration for their pregnant state. If you are not given reasonable accommodations and feel that California maternity leave laws are not being followed, your employer could be facing several pregnancy discrimination cases. You then have the right, under the above laws, to file a claim 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 on their own. You should be aware that your employer likely has the resources and connections to fight your claims, which 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 your claims until they get denied or significantly reduced. Also, your employer can hire defense lawyers who are knowledgeable about employment and labor laws and can use their skills in circumventing your rights.
Seek Help from a Top Los Angeles 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 and pregnancy discrimination lawyers Los Angeles has to offer, having notable and 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 a great attorney-client relationship.
We can help you fight for your rights. 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.
