Los Angeles Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer
Many individuals believe that actionable employment discrimination involves permanent characteristics, like gender or race. But it also involves lifestyle choices, like religious preference. The 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) was groundbreaking in this way. The PDA was one of the first laws which fleshed out the lifestyle discrimination provisions in the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
A compassionate Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination lawyer at Litigation, P.C., understands how difficult it is for all mothers to balance work and family time. In most cases, the burden for achieving this balance falls squarely on their shoulders. So, we work hard to find long-lasting, cost-effective solutions to complex pregnancy discrimination problems.
Pregnancy Discrimination Examples
Most job bias claims could involve direct or subtle discrimination, and pregnancy bias is no exception. Both forms of discrimination are absolutely illegal.
It’s hard to believe, but some companies blatantly refuse to hire or promote pregnant women. Usually, there is some misogyny involved in such situations. Some men have such deeply ingrained prejudices toward women that they don’t realize these feelings are present or wrong. A benign attitude has never excused such behavior, and it never will.
So-called “paternalistic pregnancy discrimination” is common as well, especially in manufacturing, warehouse, or other blue-collar jobs. Citing fetal or maternal health, some bosses reassign pregnant employees to lower-paying work which is less dangerous, at least in their opinion.
Generally, this paternalism is disguised self-interest. Bosses care little or nothing about fetal or maternal health. But they care a lot about potential injury or illness claims. Anyway, reassignment decisions belong to the woman and her family, not to a boss or supervisor.
On a related note, most employers offer generous maternity leave packages, mostly so they can attract employees. But they do not want mothers to take advantage of these plans. So, they throw up illegal hurdles, like long notice periods on unreasonable documentation demands.
Finally, most work sites are not physically designed for pregnant or new mothers. For example, there might not be a private area in the breakroom for nursing or pumping. All employees have the same rights of access as all other employees.
The Claims Process
Because there are so many different forms of pregnancy discrimination, it’s often hard to identify it. So, your claim for damages starts with a thorough consultation with a Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination lawyer at Litigation, P.C. If something does not seem right at work, there might be illegal discrimination there.
Your first step is usually filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). If the issues are clear, the potential damages are high, and the complaint jives with the EEOC or DFEH’s political agenda, investigators and lawyers will probably follow up.
You also have a chance to work with a Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination lawyer. A private attorney works for you and not for the government. Therefore, you have a much better chance of obtaining the compensation you deserve.
This compensation usually includes back pay and other economic losses, as well as reinstatement to your former position or a reasonable amount of future pay, along others.
Reach Out to a Diligent Los Angeles County Pregnancy Discrimination Law Attorney
The law guarantees equal opportunity for everyone. For a confidential consultation with an experienced Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination lawyer, contact Litigation, P.C., at 424-284-2401 or online to learn about your legal options. We routinely handle matters throughout SoCal.