There are many ways that pregnancy discrimination manifests in the workplace. Some companies fire pregnant workers. Others start taking issue with an employee’s job performance during pregnancy or when she returns to work after giving birth.
Other times, workers face more subtle pregnancy discrimination in the form of denied accommodations. Many women experience certain functional limitations during pregnancy. It is reasonable for a woman to expect her employer to accommodate her medical needs during pregnancy.
Women denied appropriate support may have experienced discrimination.
Why accommodations are necessary
Pregnancy creates many drastic changes in a woman’s body. Some women develop concerning secondary conditions, such as gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia. They may not be able to perform their standard job tasks safely because of their medical conditions.
Frequently, pregnant workers have limits on how much they can lift or how long they can stay on their feet. They may ask for accommodations ranging from assistive technology to a change in job responsibilities. Some workers need more breaks. Others need work-from-home accommodations.
Unless a woman’s request might cause undue hardship for the business, the employer should try to work with her. When employers refuse to provide reasonable accommodations that could allow a woman to work safely and efficiently, the company may effectively force her to choose between her health and her career.
Documenting communications related to denied accommodations can be a first step toward fighting back against pregnancy discrimination. Proving that a company unreasonably denied basic accommodation requests can show that the company mistreated a pregnant worker. Professionals who face pregnancy discrimination may be able to hold their employers accountable and seek compensation for the impact the discrimination has had on their finances and their careers.