Pregnancy should be a joyful stage for every woman and her family. While having stress from the change in your lifestyle can be acceptable, you shouldn’t have to be stressed because of discrimination by your employer.
HKM Employment Attorneys LLP is a law firm in Arlington, Virginia that can handle your pregnancy discrimination case. Our employment lawyers work with clients across Northern Virginia, including Fairfax, McLean, and Alexandria.
Virginia state law does not explicitly require employers to offer pregnancy leave. However, employers covered by the Virginia Human Rights Act must give the same leave benefits to pregnant women as employees with other temporary disabilities.
Enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) says a new parent may be eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a newborn. Another federal law, The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA), prevents gender discrimination related to pregnancy. The law is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, enforced by The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
What Are Your Rights?
Ideally, your boss should be involved in accommodating you both during your pregnancy and after it. In some cases, your body might need some time to heal postpartum. As a result, they are supposed to make life in the workplace easier such as through reducing the level of labor-intensive work you can do.
For instance, you might need help carrying heavy objects that can cause harm to your body. During this period, your job should remain protected.
Signs of Pregnancy Discrimination
Discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy-related reasons is illegal. This can include anything during the period of experiencing childbirth, actual pregnancy or medical conditions that arise from pregnancy. Some signs of discrimination include:
- Firing employee after pregnancy
- Refusing to hire a qualified but pregnant job applicant
- Asking job applicants if they have plans to get pregnant in the future
- Demoting expectant employees with no reasonable excuses
- Changing the assignment of an expectant employee without valid reasons
- Refusing to accommodate an employee or offer family leave
Contact a Lawyer Early
Timing is everything when it comes to pregnancy discrimination lawsuits. With time, the key witnesses to your case can easily forget crucial facts, and you can also lose critical documents that make your case stronger. Contact a Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer in Arlington, Virginia as soon as you experience discrimination to avoid losing your case before it starts.
Your workplace should be a haven for you, rather than a stressful atmosphere. With modern workplace laws here to protect you, you should never allow colleagues and employers to make you feel uncomfortable about this exciting stage of your life. Contact HKM Employment Attorneys for a consultation if you think you’re a victim of pregnancy discrimination.
Call 571-765-2003or fill out this form and we will get back to you ASAP.