Women can face various types of unfair treatment in the workplace that should not be tolerated. One form of discrimination unique to women is pregnancy discrimination. Though the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was passed over 40 years ago, many women still find themselves with the short end of the stick when it comes to starting a family and navigating their career.
Pregnancy discrimination in the workplace is never okay, but sometimes it can be hard to identify. There are several forms this type of discrimination can come in and it’s important to recognize all of them in order to protect your rights at work.
Types Of Pregnancy Discrimination
Like other types of discrimination, pregnancy discrimination can come in more than one form. Some of the more common examples of this type of discrimination include:
- Being denied a promotion or other opportunity due to pregnancy or any intention to become pregnant.
- Denying vacation time or other benefits
- Not receiving adequate accommodations during pregnancy such as a space for nursing or proper seating during work.
- Having your role changed or restricted due to pregnancy (i.e having your hours reduced)
- Having your health benefits reduced or changed
- Asking inappropriate questions during a job interview related to pregnancy
If you think your employer is demonstrating any of these acts of pregnancy discrimination you can fight back. Working with an experienced employment attorney can help you regain your rights and protect your position at work.
Understanding your rights is an essential part of confronting and overcoming discrimination. Bias against pregnant women should be called out and shut down.
