Pregnancy Discrimination – Know Your Rights
While most people are aware that it is illegal to practice racial, political, religious, or gender-based discrimination in the workplace, people often do not realize that there are other forms of discrimination that are outlined in employment laws for the protection of workers. One protection that many individuals are unaware of is the protection of pregnant women from discrimination on the part of their supervisors or employers.
Employers with fifteen or more employees are required by law to give fair and equal treatment to workers who are or become pregnant while working for the company. The pregnancy discrimination protection or laws exist to make sure that workers are not treated unfairly for pregnancy, childbirth, or medical conditions that arise due to the birth of a child. Women who are pregnant should be given the same considerations as other employees and should not be punished or discriminated against because of the pregnancy. Those who face such cases should report them to the authorities for protection.
These laws extend protection to applicants who apply for a position with a company. The owners and managers cannot discriminate against a pregnant applicant and should give fair consideration to her condition and her qualifications. Such laws also protect the applicant from discrimination based on the managers, supervisors, and other employees’ prejudices.
Current employees who become pregnant should be afforded considerations for their condition and should be allowed to work as long as they feel that they are able to perform duties of the job. If a pregnant employee is unable to perform functions of her normal job, the employer should treat the condition in the same manner that they do temporary disabilities and may give the employee different duties for a short time.
When a worker takes maternity leave, the employer should hold the position for the same length of time that they would for employees who are on sick leave or disability, and should not seek to replace the worker simply because she is on leave for pregnancy. If it is found that the employer treated the pregnant employee in an unfair manner, there may be serious legal consequences for the actions of supervisors and managers.
Summary
If an employer discriminates against pregnant employees or fails to provide fair treatment in the event of pregnancy, the individual involved may be able to pursue legal action against the company in question. The employment or labor laws across the country prohibit pregnancy discrimination and clearly stipulates what the legal actions should be taken against the employer.
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