Unlike the wild business days depicted in the television show Mad Men, treating women differently is no longer permitted in the workplace. This includes reducing or firing a female employee because she becomes pregnant. Pregnancy discrimination occurs when a female employee or applicant for a job is treated unfavorably because she is pregnant or recently gave birth. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits this behavior when it comes to any aspect of employment from the interview to training, to promotions, and layoffs.
If you or a loved one is discriminated against by your employer, an experienced employment attorney may be able to help. A thorough review of your employer’s records may point to the logic behind your treatment. This area of law often relies on subtle hints to establish a viable claim.
It is important to remember that discrimination is not always blatant, sometimes it manifests as your employer refusing to provide reasonable accommodations. A reasonable accommodation can be anything from refusing to give you the time to go to doctor’s appointments to keeping you in a strenuous position when an alternative job in the back office is available. Reviewing every possible scenario is the key to ensuring that none of your legal rights are overlooked.
Becoming pregnant is a gift that comes with its own addition of stress. You should not have to worry about how your boss may react. If you believe that you were fired or are being discriminated against because you are pregnant, then you might want to speak with an employment attorney to go over what rights you may have. The right legal professional can put your mind at ease so that you can focus on yourself and your growing family.
