California Pregnancy Discrimination In The Workplace
The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker pregnancy discrimination lawyers assist women who have faced pregnancy discrimination at work.
Pregnancy discrimination in hiring, firing, and terms and conditions of employment is prohibited under California and federal law. Under certain conditions, California law also grants most employees the right to take job-protected pregnancy leave. When those laws are broken, pregnancy discrimination lawyers step in.
What Is Pregnancy Discrimination?
Pregnancy discrimination occurs when a pregnant employee or job applicant is treated unfairly because of her pregnancy. Pregnancy discrimination is frequently based on the stereotype that pregnant women will not return to work after having a child, or on the belief that pregnant women are less capable than other employees.
Examples of illegal discrimination include:
- Refusing to hire a woman because she is pregnant.
- Terminating an employee after discovering she is pregnant.
- Refusing to give a pay raise or promotion to a pregnant employee.
- Deferring a pay increase until a pregnant employee returns to work after giving birth.
- A pregnant employee is assigned to a less desirable shift or a less visible position.
Employers may make comments or engage in other behaviors that, on their own, demonstrate pregnancy discrimination. Making disparaging remarks about pregnant employees or stereotyping pregnant employees are examples of this. In other cases, discrimination is inferred from the circumstances or timing of events, such as when an employer treats a pregnant employee less favorably than a comparable employee who is not pregnant, or when an employer begins to treat an employee differently after learning she is pregnant.
Your Employee Rights
Pregnant women have a number of state and federal protections that make it illegal for an employer to:
- During a job interview, inquire about your pregnancy or intent to become pregnant.
- Discriminate against you in hiring, firing, promotions, training, scheduling, and other areas because you are pregnant.
- Because of your pregnancy, you may be forced to accept fewer hours or responsibilities.
- Refuse to make reasonable accommodations, such as longer rest breaks or a temporary change in job responsibilities.
- Deny you any maternity or pregnancy disability leave to which you may be entitled.
- Retaliation for requesting or taking leave.
Contact a lawyer at The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker if you have any questions about any of these scenarios. Our pregnancy discrimination lawyers are well-versed in all aspects of pregnancy employment law and can help you.
Can I Request Special Accommodations While Pregnant?
Yes, Employers must make reasonable accommodations for a pregnant employee at her request, in accordance with the advice she receives from her doctor, to allow her to perform her job duties while pregnant or suffering from a related medical condition. Employers may be required to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees, such as reducing the amount of weight an employee is required to lift, providing extra bathroom breaks, or transferring to a less strenuous position.
What Type Of Compensation Can I Receive From A Pregnancy Discrimination Claim?
There are a few reasons to file a claim for pregnancy discrimination:
You want to reclaim your job/hours/promotion. If you have been fired, had your hours reduced, or missed out on a well-deserved promotion as a result of pregnancy discrimination, filing a formal complaint can help to rectify the situation. Employers frequently agree to undo a discriminatory action through arbitration or mediation, but a court order can also be obtained.
You want restitution. Discrimination causes harm, and you are entitled to restitution. Compensation may include lost wages, emotional distress, and legal fees.
You want to recover any lost wages and benefits lost.
Why Hire A Lawyer From The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker
- We’ve won hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients.
- Our alliance with PLBH gives us access to ample resources for even the most complicated cases.
- You don’t pay any legal fees unless we win your case.
Call The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker To Learn More About Pregnancy Discrimination
If you would like more information about a potential pregnancy discrimination lawsuit, please contact us at 866-536-5788. If your case has merit we will represent you with no legal fees due unless we win your case. You also can submit your case online through our case submission form.
