Pregnancy and Discrimination

Filed in archive Pregnancy on May 25, 2007

If you're a working woman and you've just found out your pregnant, be aware that some discrimination against pregnancy still exists in the workplace. Sure it's illegal, and there have been several court cases involving the issue. But the discrimination still exists.

According to the Monster Blog:

Under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, women affected by pregnancy or related conditions must be treated in the same manner as other applicants or employees with similar abilities or limitations. Women can't be fired for being pregnant. Nor can they be demoted. And, if they're eligible under the Family Medical Leave Act, they're entitled to time off.

Monster Blog Career Advice offers this:

"Prepare yourself before you inform your boss about your pregnancy," says Dana Bilboa, a Los Angeles-based production accountant for "Judging Amy" and mother of two. "I had a boss who didn't renew my contract, because I was too close to my delivery date and would have been out for a portion of production. That's legitimate. But I've definitely encountered the feeling out there that a pregnant woman is an inconvenience in the workplace. So it's important to know what your rights are."

The workplace isn't the only place where this discrimination exists. The TV & Radio Blog says:

Sexism, and ageism still prevail in television - as Moira Stewart recently found out - but you hardly ever see pregnant women on TV. Newsreaders, reporters, daytime TV presenters, are always packed off before it becomes too obvious, and other celebrities, I guess, equate being pregnant with looking fat.