While the employment law in California prohibits discrimination towards pregnant women in the workplace, many women employees may still experience unfair and unpleasant treatment during their pregnancies. It may occur due to annoyance, resentment, or various other reasons. The fact is that such treatment is illegal, and if it affects your productivity and career, you may need to take a strong stand against it. By hiring experienced pregnancy discrimination lawyers Los Angeles based women employees can take action against their employers for pregnancy-related discrimination in the workplace.
Three ways to spot pregnancy discrimination in the workplace
The three most obvious ways to spot pregnancy discrimination in the workplace are:
Refused participation in training programs
Your employer may refuse to let you participate in training programs that the company organizes for its employees. They may explain it as a concern for your condition, even though the training may not involve strenuous physical work and you do not have health issues preventing your attendance.
Passed up for a well-deserved promotion
You miss out on getting a promotion that you deserve, and your employer cannot or refuses to give you a valid reason for being overlooked. If you are sure you are not at fault, it could be related to your pregnancy and, therefore, a case of pregnancy discrimination.
Given fewer work assignments and reduced pay
You may notice that your employer is assigning you fewer tasks than you usually get and you receive reduced pay as a result. If you are perfectly able to do the work and there are no other issues, the reason may be pregnancy discrimination.
How to deal with pregnancy discrimination in the workplace?
You can take the following steps to deal with pregnancy discrimination in the workplace:
• Maintain an accurate record of your work, including the hours you have put in, the projects you have completed, and the recognition and awards you have received. That will be useful in proving that your work is up to par and your employer has no valid reason to exclude you for that reason.
• Speak to your manager about the issue and inquire if the company has any problems with you about which you are not aware.
• Inform the manager that you have no health issues that prevent you from performing as usual and provide them with a medical certificate supporting your statement.
• If any of your coworkers make discriminatory or unpleasant remarks, address them directly and let them know you do not appreciate their behavior, and file an official complaint with the HR department if they continue with it.
• Gather evidence of the discriminatory behavior. That includes noting who said what and when and saving emails, messages, voice mail, and video calls. It will also help to record who was there and witnessed the discriminatory behavior.
• Consider how much the job matters to you. Will it make more sense to walk away from working with unpleasant and insensitive people? Or are you willing to take legal action against your employer if necessary? It is important to understand that legal matters can take time to resolve and may require a lot of work and involvement on your part, even if you hire a lawyer to represent you and handle the matter on your behalf. While getting justice is important, caring for your health and well-being is crucial too.
When should you hire a lawyer for pregnancy discrimination?
If mediation fails with your employer and coworkers and you continue to experience difficulties carrying out your regular work duties, it may be necessary to take legal action. Search online for “pregnancy discrimination lawyers Los Angeles” to find an experienced lawyer in your area. It is advisable to prepare a list of questions to ask the lawyer during the initial consultation, which, incidentally, many lawyers offer for free.
Apart from inquiring if your case has legal validity, you need to have a clear idea about the legal expenses you could incur and the entire legal process involved, from gathering evidence to filing a claim to taking the matter to trial. It will also help to know about the possible compensation you might receive if you win the case and your options if you lose.
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