Were you fired from you job for being pregnant? You have important rights. Pregnancy discrimination, occurs when an employee is treated negatively because of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. California law protects employees against discrimination or harassment because of an employee’s pregnancy, childbirth or any related medical condition (referred to below as “because of pregnancy”). California law also prohibits employers from denying or interfering with an employee’s pregnancy-related employment rights.
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If you are pregnant, or have a related medical condition, or are recovering from childbirth, your employer has the obligation to:
- Reasonably accommodate your medical needs related to pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions (such as temporarily modifying your work duties, providing you with a stool or chair, or allowing more frequent breaks);
- Transfer you to a less strenuous or dangerous position (where one is available) or duties if medically needed because of your pregnancy;
- Provide you with pregnancy disability leave (PDL) of up to four months (the working days you normally would work in one-third of a year or 17 1/3 weeks) and return you to your same job when you are no longer disabled by your pregnancy or, in certain instances, to a comparable job; and
- Provide a reasonable amount of break time and use of a room or other location in close proximity to the employee’s work area to express breast milk in private as set forth in the Labor Code.
If you are pregnant and your employer is not providing you these accommodations, or if you were fired for being pregnant, you should contact an attorney right away. It is crucial to find out more about your rights under laws, such as:
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)
- California Pregnancy Disability Leave Law (PDLL)
- California Family Rights Act (CFRA)
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To learn more about these laws and to get help protecting your rights, call North Law Firm for a free consultation.