Federal employees are protected from pregnancy discrimination by law. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit pregnancy discrimination. Discrimination against women in employment-related decisions based on pregnancy or childbirth is illegal under this law. Medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth are also protected from discrimination under the law.
Employers Must Treat The Pregnant Women Like Other Employees With Similar Limitations
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act does not only protect the state, local, and federal government employees, but it also protects employees of private companies with 15 or more employees.
Employers are required under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act to treat pregnant women in the same manner as other applicants or employees with similar disabilities and abilities. The law prohibits employers from referring to an individual’s pregnancy or related medical condition when deciding whether to hire or fire them. Nonetheless, pregnant women have legal rights that go far beyond protection against wrongful termination.
Leaves and Other Perks Included in Pregnancy Discrimination Protection
An employer must treat an employee, who is temporarily disabled due to pregnancy or another related condition, the same way that it treats other temporarily disabled workers. A pregnant worker may be required by her employer to take light-duty assignments or unpaid leave, depending on how the employer treats other temporarily disabled employees, such as those injured or ill.
A pregnant employee cannot be assessed differently from other employees in terms of her ability to work or her inability to work. If a pregnant employee requests leave or sick time, employers may not ask for a doctor’s note unless the employer requires the same for all workers seeking leave or sick time.
Pregnant employees must be allowed to work as long as they are able to perform their duties. Employers are not allowed to prevent an employee from returning to work for a predetermined time period following childbirth. Additionally, when a pregnant worker is out of the office due to pregnancy-related reasons, she is entitled to the job continuity that would apply to a sick or disabled employee out of the office for the same amount of time.
Health Insurance and Other Pregnancy-Related Benefits
Pregnancy-related expenses should be covered similarly to those of other medical conditions if an employer provides health insurance to its employees. Employees should have equal access to pregnancy-related fringe benefits that employers offer, regardless of their marital status.
Additionally, employees who are on leave for pregnancy-related reasons must have the same benefits available to them as those on sick or disability leave. Employees on maternity leave should also enjoy the same benefits as those with other temporary disabilities, including seniority, vacation time, and pay increases.
Get In Touch With An Employment Lawyer Today
If you believe that you have been the victim of illegal pregnancy discrimination at work, you should speak with an employment lawyer quickly. Federal government workers may be able to benefit from the services of an employment attorney at Siman Law Firm who has experience in representing them in discrimination cases.