Workplace discrimination is an unfortunately common transgression committed against employees for reasons too numerous to name. One of the more insidious forms of this discrimination, however, is pregnancy discrimination. As the name suggests, pregnancy discrimination occurs whenever an employee is treated unfairly, whether in regards to hiring, firing, pay, time off, job duty assignments, etc., due solely to their pregnancy. While unjust, any knowledgable pregnancy discrimination attorney in the workplace will quickly tell you that such a practice is highly illegal.
Can You Get Fired for Being Pregnant in Los Angeles?
While it may be true that pregnancy discrimination is illegal, this unfortunately does not mean that the practice does not occur. Employers do still discriminate against pregnant women, and there is no agency or organization monitoring for these offenses. So, in the L.A. area, for example, unless a pregnancy discrimination lawyer Los Angeles becomes involved in the case, usually only at the behest of a pregnant employee, there often is not a path to recompense. Thus is reaching out to a pregnancy discrimination attorney in the workplace at the earliest opportunity essential for those who feel they have been discriminated against. So, to return to the question, “Can you get fired for being pregnant in Los Angeles?” the answer, legally speaking, is “No,” and anyone who has fallen victim to such events should seek immediate legal recourse, usually through an employment attorney Los Angeles.
Why is Pregnancy Discrimination so Insidious?
While any form of workplace discrimination is abhorrent, what sets pregnancy discrimination apart is the way it can not only impact an employees financial or emotional health, but also their physical well being, as well as the health of their child. As discrimination begins to affect other aspects of the mother’s life (like their financial prospects and workplace happiness), it can cause a noted increase in stress. This stress can lead to a host of health problems, including increased rates of postpartum depression, lower birth weights, shorter pregnancies, and increased need for medical care for the child after birth. Beyond this direct effect, one form of pregnancy discrimination is refusing to allow time off to attend necessary prenatal appointments. As a result, many pregnant women miss many essential prenatal appointments because they aren’t allowed time off, so their health, and the health of their child, suffer due to decreased medical attention. The enormity of this health crisis is put into clearer focus when we see how many women are denied pregnancy accommodations each year (near a quarter-million). For women working in and around L.A., being in contact with an employment attorney Los Angeles is an essential part of protecting their health and the health of their child, as the majority of these harmful health effects occur because women don’t have the resources to combat the discrimination they are facing. In addition to a prenatal doctor, a growing number of professional women may want to consider a pregnancy discrimination lawyer Los Angeles as an addition to their pregnancy healthcare team.
