Pregnancy Discrimination Act

Pregnancy is hard enough as it is. Many pregnant women need to work during their pregnancy. Unfortunately, women in the past had the added stress of pregnancy discrimination. Nowadays, pregnancy discrimination is less of a problem in today’s workplace as it has been in the past, thanks in part to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

The pregnancy discrimination act is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Basically, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires companies to treat pregnant workers the same way they treat other workers who have medical disabilities and cannot work. Your employer cannot fire you because you are pregnant or force you to take mandatory maternity leave. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination in employment based on pregnancy, child birth, or related medical condition, meanwhile, it applies to employers with 15 or more employees, unions with 25 members, employment agencies, federal, state and local governments.

To explain specifically of the regulations of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, first of all, an employer cannot refuse to hire you because of your pregnancy, as long as you can perform well the major functions of the job you have applied. When you become pregnant, you are protected from pregnancy discrimination in many ways. Your employer must allow you to work if you are able to perform your job. What is more, your employer is not allowed to require you to take mandatory maternity leave, or to prevent you from coming back to work when you would like, after the baby’s birth. If you are temporarily unable to perform your job because to pregnancy, your employer must treat you the same way as any other temporarily disabled employee by providing modified tasks, alternative assignments, disability leave, or leave without pay.

Health Insurance is also guaranteed by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Any health insurance provided by your employer must cover expenses for pregnancy situations on the same basis as costs for other medical conditions. However, health insurance for expenses from an abortion is not required, except in cases where your life is endangered. The amount paid by the insurance provider can only be limited to the same extent as costs for other conditions. No increased or additional deductible can be imposed due to your pregnancy.

Benefits are another the Pregnancy Discrimination Act aims to. Benefits related to pregnancy cannot be limited to married employees. If your employer provides any benefits to workers on leave, they must provide the same while you are pregnant, you must be treated the same as other employees for vacation calculation, pay increases, and temporary disability benefits.
As the calling for the rights of female, pregnancy discrimination will not go away anytime soon. It is very important for you to know the rights and protections guaranteed to you by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Hopefully though, armed with this information, you can defend yourself from pregnancy discrimination and feel comfortable in your workplace throughout your pregnancy. Being informed is your best defense.

» Filed Under Getting Pregnant

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