Watch out for the signs of pregnancy discrimination

On behalf of elizabethtatelaw Attorney at Law posted in Uncategorized on Tuesday , November 27, 2018

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), approximately 3,174 women suffered from pregnancy-related discrimination at work in 2017. The thing is, considering how much discrimination goes unreported in Arizona and the rest of the United States each year, it’s likely that the number of women discriminated against for being pregnant is vastly greater than this figure.

It’s a well-known fact that women often get passed up for promotions or lose their jobs shortly after they tell their boss that they are pregnant. For this reason, in spite of the federal anti-discrimination protections that prevent unfair treatment of pregnant women, numerous women delay their pregnancy announcements at work for as long as possible.

Pregnant at work? Watch out for the signs of discrimination

Here are some telltale signs of pregnancy discrimination:

— When interviewing for a job, the interviewer asks you if you have children, if you’re pregnant or if you plan to have children soon.

— A prospective employer refuses to offer you a job due to your pregnancy status.

— An employer asks you to take special tests to prove that you can safely do your job even though you’re pregnant. Employers can only test a pregnant woman’s job performance abilities if the employer submits all employees to the same tests.

— Your employer treats your pregnancy-related health conditions differently from a temporary disability.

— Your employer-provided health insurance treats conditions related to pregnancy differently from other medical conditions.

— Your employer requires you to pay extra money for your insurance plan because you’re pregnant.

These are not the only types of discriminating behaviors pregnant women could face at work. Keep your eye out for anything that might seem inappropriate or unfair.

Powerful federal laws protect women from pregnancy discrimination

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 protects all women from on-the-job discrimination related to their pregnancies. If you have been victimized by any kind of unfair treatment related to hiring, firing, promotions, pay, insurance benefits, rude comments or harassment at work after you became pregnant, learn more about Arizona and federal anti-employment discrimination laws now.