Pregnancy Discrimination On The Rise

News reports that pregnancy discrimination cases across the county are on the rise. According to a Washington Post article, nearly 6,000 women across the country have filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging pregnancy discrimination at work.

If you believe you may have been discriminated against because of a pregnancy, it is important to consult with a knowledgeable Atlanta pregnancy discrimination lawyer immediately to protect your rights and determine your next step.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination against employees, former employees and applicants on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion and sex. Congress has also passed some additional anti-discrimination laws to protect women in the workplace. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions. Although this doesn’t mean that pregnant women are entitled to special treatment, it does mean that pregnant women must be treated equally to non-pregnant individuals.

Women from all types of work and all types of professional backgrounds have filed complaints alleging pregnancy discrimination including:

• An apartment complex owner firing a housekeeper after she disclosed she was pregnant • A government contractor forcing two women to resign because they were pregnant. The women were later awarded back pay and damages.
• A law firm withdrew an employment offer to an attorney after finding out she was expecting.

According to the article, the number of the pregnancy discrimination complaints is up 23% from 2005.

Further, despite the enactment of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, “many … [women] see their paychecks disappear right after they tell their bosses of their pregnancies.” As stated at a recent hearing women lose their jobs not based on medical need but on an employers’ “unfounded assumption about the woman’s capacity to do her job.”

If you believe you have been discriminated against in any way because of a pregnancy, it is important to contact an experienced Georgia employment discrimination lawyer right away.

For more information, contact the dedicated Georgia pregnancy discrimination lawyers at Buckley Bala Wilson Mew LLP for an immediate case evaluation.