In Court and On Paper

Do You Need Workplace Pregnancy Discrimination Attorney Services?

22 April 2020

Avery Bryant

Most people are surprised to learn that discrimination laws extend to pregnancy discrimination. More importantly, it goes deeper than simple hiring practices law. There are many dimensions to the law and the protections it offers pregnant women in today's workplace. Pregnancy discrimination is real, and if you feel like you may have been a victim, it is well worth your time to make the effort to discuss your situation with a firm that offers workplace pregnancy discrimination attorney services or other workplace discrimination lawyer services to see if you have a case. These are some of the surprising reasons you might need to talk to a workplace pregnancy discrimination lawyer.

What Protections Does the Pregnancy Discrimination Act Provide?

Passed in 1978 as an amendment to The Civil Rights Act of 1964's Title VII protection, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 extended employment practices protections to pregnant women. This includes any aspect of employment including:

• Pay equality
• Job assignments, responsibilities, and duties
• Hiring and firing practices
• Promotions
• Training
• Benefits
• Layoffs
• Health insurance
• Leave

It also means that pregnant women cannot be harassed or treated unfairly (otherwise known as creating a hostile work environment) by their employers in hopes of getting someone who is pregnant to quit their job. It also means your employer cannot threaten to fire you for seeking time off for maternity leave once the baby is born. That doesn't mean that you can't be laid off due to economic downturns within your organization or fired "for cause." If you live in an "at-will" state you may face greater challenges when it comes to proving employment discrimination as far as hiring and firing practices are concerned. However, the right workplace discrimination attorney can help you identify key elements that make a case for your pregnancy discrimination claims.

When Should You Consult a Workplace Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer?

Before you dive right in and contact an attorney, it's a good idea to learn the laws in your state and whether or not you qualify for certain protections under the law. For instance, in some states, employers must employ a minimum number of people in order to be subject to pregnancy discrimination laws or certain aspects (namely the maternity leave portion) of the law.

If you believe, after doing a little additional research for your state requirements, that you may have a case, now is the perfect time to contact a lawyer with specific experience in workplace pregnancy discrimination.

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