Many women who are pregnant want to continue their careers, during their pregnancies. Although perfectly capable of demonstrating that they can do the work just as well as ever. They often face discrimination in their workplaces due to stereotypes and bias.
Stories of workplace discrimination against women are legion. For example, one woman who worked at a package distribution company asked her boss for a reasonable accommodation until she gave birth, a weight-life restriction of 20 pounds. Even though she had a doctor’s recommendation to support her request for that accommodation, it was denied. Instead, the company put her on unpaid leave, and didn’t even give her benefits.
An astute new article provides some ways that they can fight that discrimination and try to get their employer to treat them in a fair and reasonable way instead. One thing pregnant women can do to keep similar workplace discrimination from happening to them when pregnant is educate themselves. There are various laws that apply, and understanding those can help you know what your rights are. It can also help you know about your responsibilities.
For example, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has the full text of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act on its website. It affirms the number of employees that need to be at your workplace for you to be covered by the provisions of the PDA. It also lets you know how long you have to file a complaint.
Additional ways for you to fight workplace discrimination include maintaining clear communication with your employer and tracking any unfair treatment. You should also do your best work all the time so your employer can’t attribute any discrimination you experiences to causes other than your pregnancy. Of course, it is important to discuss your situation with an attorney.
Source: PayScale, “5 Ways to Fight Workplace Pregnancy Discrimination” Esther Lombardi, Dec. 08, 2014
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