Pregnancy discrimination is the act of treating a woman unfavorably in the workplace because of the fact that she is pregnant. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is a law that works to prevent this type of discrimination and states that an employer may not discriminate against a woman because she is pregnant or has given birth. This act applies to both employees as well as job applicants.
In most cases, this means that an employer must provide the exact same benefits to all of his or her employees, regardless as to whether or not they are pregnant. As an example, if all employees are provided with health insurance, a woman who is pregnant must also be covered by the same insurance. She must also be provided with the same other types of benefits provided to others, including retirement and disability benefits.
Interestingly, if a woman becomes unable to perform the duties of her job because of a medical condition that is considered related to the pregnancy, she must be treated the exact same way that an employer would treat other employees who have become temporarily disabled. This means that if the employer allows those who have a temporary disability to work at a desk instead of having to stand at their workstation, they must provide the same opportunity to a woman who is pregnant.
It important to note, however, that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act applies only to employers that have 15 or more employees. If you believe that you are a victim of pregnancy discrimination, you may find beneficial information about California discrimination laws by visiting our website.