No matter where you work, coworkers and bosses should treat you with respect. When a woman is pregnant, some workplaces may try to discriminate or treat her differently than usual.
Knowing what some of these signs are is important for anyone worrying about discrimination.
Missed opportunities
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, some bosses may purposefully overlook pregnant employees when it comes time to train or mentor people. Some people may believe that pregnant women are more likely to quit, which can lead to a withdrawal of invitations and a lack of opportunities to grow in your career.
Whether you are noticing fewer invitations to seminars or even fewer emails in general regarding important work subjects, this can leave you feeling left out and confused.
Increased negative focus
If your boss or other people continually single you out for examples or to criticize you, this may be a sign of discrimination. You may notice a shift in your feedback that had consistently been positive before suddenly becoming markedly more negative without a reason why. The amount or type of feedback may increase at the time of your pregnancy.
Differences in pay
While you may have been discussing a potential raise in the time before you announced you were pregnant, sometimes the opportunity is quietly forgotten once you become pregnant. If you were in serious talks for a raise but then your boss seems to not remember or seem resistant to the idea of discussing a raise, it may be a sign of pregnancy discrimination.
Paying close attention to how other people in your workplace treat you during this time can help you if you feel discrimination is happening.