The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It states that it is illegal to discriminate against a woman who is pregnant. This means that as long as a pregnant woman can handle the major functions of her job, an employer cannot fire or refuse to hire her on the basis of her condition. It also means a pregnant woman can’t be discriminated against when it comes to other aspects of her employment, such as job assignments, promotions, layoffs, or fringe benefits.
An employer must treat a pregnant woman just like every other employee. This means, the employer cannot single the woman out for medical clearance that isn’t required for other employees and must allow the pregnant woman to work as long as she is able to perform her duties.
The act also makes it clear that the employer’s health insurance must cover the expenses related to the pregnancy on the same basis as it would for any other medical condition.
If an employee cannot perform her job because of pregnancy, an employer has to treat her like any temporarily disabled employee. This means the woman can receive modified tasks, alternative job assignments, or receive disability leave.
Pregnancy can be a wonderful time in a woman’s life, but if you are being discriminated against because of your condition, it can be a nightmare. But there is help. If you have been discriminated against at work because you are or were pregnant, contact the pregnancy discrimination lawyers at Sanford Heisler Sharp today.