Los Angeles Pregnancy Discrimination Attorney
Pregnancy discrimination in the workplace is illegal.
Expecting a child can be a wonderful experience, but it also has its challenges in employment matters. If you are expectant or planning to get pregnant, you should not have to worry about workplace discrimination or retaliation.
Some employers wrongly assume what a pregnant person can and can not do. They often make decisions based on a person’s pregnancy, like cutting hours or passing up pregnant employees for a promotion. Some employers might think that maternity leave is optional even when it is an explicit clause in employment agreements.
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What to Know About Pregnancy Discrimination
Pregnancy discrimination is another form of workplace discrimination/employment discrimination. Federal and California laws both prohibit this type of gender discrimination under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, a modification of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Pregnant employees need protection like any other group facing discrimination.
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act deems it illegal to discriminate against pregnant women. Discrimination can occur during any part of the employment process, whether hiring, termination, demotion, pay, or promotion.
Below are a few examples of pregnancy discrimination:
Relegation to a lower-paying role
happens because you informed your employer of your pregnancy.
Denying an employee their requisite promotion
based on perceptions that ‘new parents’ cannot take on new responsibilities or that maternity leave impacts the employee negatively.
Losing a job due to pregnancy.
Some managers fire pregnant employees because they believe the new baby’s presence may interfere with their job.
Comments or unfair treatment during or when you return from parental leave.
Derogatory and demeaning remarks about how a pregnancy or new birth is impacting a pregnant person’s work may constitute harassment.
Substantially reduced work hours before your maternity leave without a direct request from you.
Some employers may scale back a pregnant person’s hours to slowly phase them out over time.
Lack of reasonable adjustments and policies to accommodate pregnant employees.
These accommodations can include an ergonomic chair, more breaks to get water, modification of duties, temporary job change, a leave of absence, or the ability to work remotely.
Adverse action by an employer
for requesting any of the accommodations mentioned above.
What to Know About Pregnancy Leave
California’s employment law states employers must provide up to 12 weeks of maternity leave. Likewise, the California Pregnancy Disability Leave Law ensures that most employers provide employees with up to 4 months of unpaid leave. Under this law, the break must be due to a disability caused by some part of the pregnancy.
Another crucial aspect of pregnancy discrimination to observe is the treatment you recieve when you return to the office. Pregnant workers are often the victims of prejudice before, during, and after pregnancy. However, the law offers protection. That’s why enlisting the help of a pregnancy discrimination lawyer is a wise decision in such scenarios.
Call Majarian Law Today
Majarian Law Group, a well-respected Los Angeles employment law firm, represents several pregnant workers that feel like they have been victims of discrimination. If you feel like you have grounds for a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit, you have rights to compensation for emotional distress, lost wages, and more.
California’s pregnancy discrimination laws protect employees in the state, and our knowledgeable firm has a track record of successfully defending many clients across the US. Call us today at (818) 263-7343 for peace of mind ahead of your pregnancy discrimination lawsuit.