House bill 972 has been introduced by Representative Taylor Bennett (D-Brookhaven) to protect pregnant women from being discriminated against and also to promote the full and equal participation of women in the workplace.
The bill also requires businesses to provide reasonable accommodations at work for job applicants and employees surrounding pregnancy and childbirth.
Rep Bennett said: “While the vast majority of employers in our state are good corporate citizens, some companies will change their treatment of women in the workplace only when they are presented with the consequences of discriminating against employees based on inaccurate stereotypes or personal biases.”
He also says his goal is to help women overcome fear so they can come forward when they feel they are being discriminated against.
Are you pregnant and feel like you may be the victim of discrimination at your job?
Here are five signs that your employer may be singling you out due to your pregnancy:
- You’re being excluded from training/meetings: If you have previously been included in company meetings and training sessions but since your pregnancy, you feel like you are being overlooked, confront your employer directly and ask what’s going on.
- Your emails are scarce: If you notice that your email inbox is not as full as it has been in the past, it may be because your employer is leaving you out of company emails.
- You just missed out on a well-deserved raise: If you’ve been accustomed previously to getting raises or if you and your supervisor had been discussing the opportunity for you to get a raise and it all seemed so positive until they found out about your pregnancy, you may begin to think twice about what’s going on.
- You’ve suddenly noticed you’re being criticized more than usual: If your work had always been pleasing to your employer and you’ve often gotten praise reviews but now all of a sudden you are being scrutinized over little things and receiving negative feedback, the reason why may be quite clear to you.
- You’re left out of social events: office parties, networking events, drinks, and lunches with the manager. The office may be completely excluding you for a reason.
There’s always the possibility that your co-workers and supervisor are simply trying to be courteous by keeping you out of certain off-site events, but it’s your responsibility to keep notes ask questions and always address your concerns that it may be discrimination. It’s not good to assume and never good to be left in suspense.
If you have done all that you can to inquire about the treatment you are receiving and still not getting answers, then it is probably time for you to contact our law firm.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission governs discrimination laws within the workplace to protect those individuals who are treated unfairly.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) prohibits businesses from treating their employees negatively on the basis of pregnancy when it comes to hiring, firing, job assignments, pay, layoff, promotions, training, benefits and other employment terms. If your employer is treating you differently now than before you were pregnant, it’s quite possible he or she may be breaking the law.
Our Pregnancy Discrimination Attorneys are Passionate about Fighting for your Employment Law Rights
If you or someone you know has been the victim of pregnancy discrimination or sexual harassment then you should contact us at 800-807-2209 for a free consultation. Our attorneys are available to review your claims and prepare a solid case to recover the damages and justice you deserved.
