Pregnancy should be a joyful and exciting time for any family. Working mothers should be able to manage this shift in their personal lives and growing families with their careers. They should be able to receive all the right support from employers while dealing with the pregnancy and early stages of maternity. The problem is that this isn't the reality for all expectant parents. Pregnancy discrimination still exists and still ruins careers.
Is Pregnancy Discrimination Common?
Unfortunately, it is. Despite ongoing changes to employment law and improvements in gender equality, there are still far too many cases where employers discriminate against pregnant employees. Statistics for 2022 show that over 2,220 complaints of pregnancy discrimination were filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The commission claims to have resolved 2104 of those, with compensation reaching more than $12 million. However, this is not a true reflection of the situation in America. Many more workers go through some form of pregnancy discrimination and never speak out against it.
This can happen at any point in their career and at any rung of the ladder too. Employees in low-level office positions may feel as though they are most at risk because they are more expendable. Companies can fire them and bring in childless new hires who won't be such a burden. However, those in higher managerial roles may also be at risk of discrimination if those above them choose to punish them for their choices. Upper management may not like the idea of someone putting their family over their career for a while. As a result, they end up bypassing that employee when it comes to important projects, raises, and promotions.
All employees in these situations deserve the right to have their stories heard and to get some form of compensation where appropriate. That's why the best California pregnancy discrimination lawyers are ready to take those calls. Yet, some pass up the chance to come forward.
Why Are Workers So Unwilling To Report Pregnancy Discrimination?
There are many reasons why expectant parents decide not to speak up when facing pregnancy discrimination. It's vital to remember that any reason is perfectly valid, especially if there is a significant fear for the future. However, those fears shouldn't stop people from getting the help they deserve. A big concern is the way a claim will impact their future with the company or career in the industry. If they speak out and gain compensation now, will that make working at the company impossible in the future? Is it easier to put up with the treatment to ensure job security?
Another potential issue is the relationship between pregnant workers and their employers. Gender equality in the workplace only goes so far, and there are often examples of uneven power dynamics. Women in high-ranking positions may work extra hard to be as productive as men and share similar attitudes. What happens when that woman becomes pregnant and focuses on being a mother for a while? Will the men in upper management see that as a weakness? Highlighting pregnancy discrimination could further that. Continuing with the issue of workplace relationships. There may be other workers involved in the situation. The father of the child may also be a part of the company. A discrimination case could put them at risk of further repercussions in some way.
Then, some don't speak up due to a lack of understanding of what counts as discrimination. There are many ways that pregnancy and maternity discrimination can arise at work. Any of the following points, with clear proof, could lead to a successful case. There could be a clear loss of earnings due to a reduction in pay or a failure to provide paid leave as promised. Pregnancy discrimination cases can also become a form of wrongful termination case. Workers who experience redundancy following their announcement, during maternity leave, or just after returning may be entitled to compensation. Furthermore, discrimination is at play if workers are clearly denied access to training or other perks or passed over for promotions.
Finally, there is the simple fact that some expectant parents don't file claims simply because they don't realize it is an option. They think they have to put up with the changes because it's how the world works and that no lawyer would be able to help. That simply isn't true. Many expert pregnancy discrimination lawyers in California will take the case.
Proving Pregnancy Discrimination And Getting Compensation.
This issue about not appreciating the level of help available is a problem. Some pregnant workers may simply assume that they don't have a case because they can't prove anything. For example, women dealing with power struggles in male-dominated workplaces may assume no one will believe their side of the story. They may wrongly believe that a law firm with a lot of older male workers won't understand their situation or listen to them. That isn't the case at all when working with trusted California pregnancy discrimination lawyers. There's a good chance of finding female lawyers with the empathy and personal experience to support claimants along the way.
Winning a case like this isn't always easy. However, the best lawyers can help with documenting evidence and creating a timeline of discrimination. It's all about shifting the focus so employers have to prove they weren't being discriminatory. They have to provide evidence that a dismissal or lack of career progression was down to other factors. There is no guarantee of success. It could be that a promotion did go to a better candidate because of a decline in the quality of the claimant's work. A redundancy may have been part of a wider shake-up of the company structure. Still, the best lawyers can help claimants get the compensation they deserve.
Don't Ignore Pregnancy Discrimination
If you or someone you love is dealing with a situation like this, help is available. Seek out the best lawyers in California who understand the sensitivity of the case and have successfully brought forward discrimination cases before. Set up an appointment, file a claim, and show discriminatory employers they can't get away with their actions.
