Multiple federal laws protect workers from pregnancy discrimination, including the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (which was an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964), as well as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
California goes even further than federal law in protecting pregnant workers by providing up to four months of job-protected unpaid leave, a right to reasonable accommodations in the workplace, and even potential access to state wage-replacement benefits through programs such as California State Disability Insurance.
Unfortunately, not all employers live up to their obligations and follow these laws. When they don’t, Yadegar, Minoofar & Soleymani, LLP is here to help. Our Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination lawyers have spent decades fighting for the rights of pregnant women, and we can help you take legal action to fight for the justice you deserve.
To find out more about how Yadegar, Minoofar & Soleymani, LLP can help you hold your employer accountable for discriminating against you, give us a call or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation.
Our Pregnancy Discrimination Attorneys Await Your Call. Call us at (310) 499-0140.
Types of Pregnancy Discrimination
Many different kinds of pregnancy discrimination are illegal. Examples include:
- Discrimination in hiring or firing: Employers cannot take your pregnancy or pregnancy-related disability into account when deciding whether to hire you or fire you. If you are wrongfully terminated in Los Angeles because you become disabled due to pregnancy or if a company won’t hire you because you are pregnant, this is considered unlawful discrimination in Los Angeles.
- Discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment: Employers are also prohibited from discriminating against you in any terms or conditions of employment based on your pregnancy or disability. You cannot be denied a promotion, paid less, or otherwise treated differently from other workers based on your status.
- Job requirements that have a disparate impact on pregnant women: Employers cannot impose a job requirement that has the effect of disqualifying more disabled or pregnant individuals unless there is a bona fide job-related reason. Any requirement that has the effect of discriminating must be directly related to job performance.
- Refusal to make reasonable accommodations: Employers are required to make reasonable accommodations to allow you to continue working while you are pregnant. These accommodations must be made unless they present an undue burden to the company. If your employer refuses to make adjustments to allow you to continue working while managing your disability, this is a form of unlawful discrimination.
- Hostile work environment discrimination: Finally, if you are harassed at work because of your pregnancy or related disability, you may be a victim of hostile work environment discrimination. This typically involves severe and pervasive harassment that would offend a reasonable person’s sensibilities. It goes beyond just ordinary harassment.
With any or all of these kinds of discrimination, you may be able to hold the company accountable for the damage that you endured. You will need to prove that this discriminatory behavior occurred, though, and demonstrate specifically how it caused you harm.
Yadegar, Minoofar & Soleymani, LLP helps you to understand whether your employer’s behavior was unlawful, gather the proof you need, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
What are Your Rights When You are the Victim of Pregnancy Discrimination
If you have been the victim of pregnancy discrimination, you may be entitled to monetary compensation and other legal remedies. Examples include:
- Back pay: This is lost wages you did not earn because of your employer’s unlawful discrimination. For example, if you were fired because of your pregnancy-related disability, you should be paid for the money you did not collect as a result of your unlawful termination.
- Front pay: This is payment for future lost wages if you cannot be reinstated in your job for some reason. It is the money you would have earned if your employer hadn’t illegally discriminated.
- Reinstatement: In many cases, your employer will be required to give you your job back — and sometimes to make the reasonable accommodations that you requested.
- Punitive damages: These are damages designed to punish defendants for malicious or willful behavior that goes beyond ordinary discrimination.
- Injunctive relief: This is a court order that requires an employer to take some type of action, such as changing bad policies, or that prevents an employer from taking certain actions such as firing you for unlawful reasons.
You can pursue legal remedies through an administrative complaint made with the California Civil Rights Department, or through a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. You may also be able to file a lawsuit against the company to pursue compensation for the damage it caused.
How Does a San Diego Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer Help You?
A San Diego pregnancy discrimination lawyer at Yadegar, Minoofar & Soleymani, LLP can help you at every step of your case. Our team will:
- Work with you to determine what antidiscrimination laws apply based on your company location and employer size
- Help you to gather evidence of discrimination such as witness statements, employment records, company handbooks, and communications such as email and Slack messages
- Work with experts who can testify about the extent of the damage you sustained due to your employer’s unlawful behavior
- Negotiate with your employer on your behalf to try to help you negotiate an out-of-court resolution to your dispute
- Help you to determine if you should pursue a claim with administrative agencies, through a lawsuit, or both
- Represent you in court to prove unlawful discrimination and demonstrate the extent of your losses
- Keep you informed throughout your case so you understand your rights, know your legal options, and have the best chance of getting the outcome you’re hoping for from your claim.
Don’t let your employers get away with hurting your finances or health because of pregnancy discrimination. We will work hard to ensure they are held accountable for the losses you endured.
Contact Yadegar, Minoofar & Soleymani, LLP Today
Yadegar, Minoofar & Soleymani, LLP has spent decades fighting for disabled workers experiencing discrimination. We’ll put our legal knowledge to work on your case to help you fight for justice. Just give us a call or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a San Diego pregnancy discrimination lawyer today.