What is it?
An employer may not fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote a woman simply because she is pregnant. Imagine discovering you are pregnant, knowing that your employer will require you to take leave or to take a different position at your job. Pregnancy leave should only be considered if the pregnancy keeps you from performing your job. Treating an employee who is pregnant as a disabled person is unlawful, unless the employee seeks disability leave.
What is the consequence?
Federal and state law protects pregnant employees from discrimination. Some remedies the employee may seek include:
- A court order to stop the employer’s harmful behavior and to reinstate the employee to her former position.
- Back pay if the employee was wrongfully terminated or lost a job opportunity as a result of the discrimination – This may include pay and benefits the employee would have received had the discrimination not occurred.
- Front pay, or pay the employee would have received in the future if the discrimination had not prevented the employee’s return to the workplace.
- Attorney fees for the costs of securing an attorney to fight the case and win.
For more information about unlawful pregnancy discrimination in the workplace, contact Triquetra Law at: 717-299-6300.