Pregnancy Discrimination Cases

Schneider Wallace Cottrell Brayton Konecky LLP represents female employees who are discriminated against because of their pregnancy.

Recently, Schneider Wallace Cottrell Brayton Konecky LLP won a $447,894 award for a former PeopleSoft employee terminated because of her pregnancy

California’s laws provide for strong protection against discrimination of pregnant women allowing for up to seven months leave to bond with a new child or to care for a sick child.

However, despite the California Legislature's clear attempts to protect pregnant workers from discrimination, pregnancy discrimination is still prevalent in the California workplace. 

Often:

Female employees are not promoted because employers fear that they “will just get pregnant and leave.”

Female employees are terminated once an employer learns that they are pregnant and will be taking their legally authorized maternity leave.

Pregnancy discrimination is particularly devastating to single-mothers or families who rely on their employer for health insurance.   Often these female employees are left without proper medical care during their pregnancy on account of the fact that they were terminated solely because of their maternity.

With our pregnancy discrimination practice, Schneider Wallace Cottrell Brayton Konecky LLP intends to send a message to all employers that female employees are powerful and will stand up for their right to work free from discrimination.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against, refused leave or harassed because you are pregnant, click here to fill out our online consultation form. We have successfully tried many pregnancy discrimination cases.

OVERVIEW OF YOUR RIGHTS

Pregnancy discrimination is an issue that affects millions of American women each year.  If you expect to become pregnant within the next year, you should know what is required of you and your employer by law during your maternity leave. You may have significant rights under the California's Pregnancy Disability Leave Act, and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA).

CALIFORNIA PREGNANCY LEAVE INFORMATION

California's Pregnancy Disability Leave Act provides women who work for an employer that has at least 5 employees with up to four months of Pregnancy Leave if they are disabled because of their pregnancy.   The term "disability" includes any medical condition related to pregnancy including severe morning sickness

In addition, the California Family Rights Act provides for an additional twelve weeks of leave to bond with a new child or care for a sick baby.  Women may begin their "bonding" leave at anytime during the first year after the birth of a child.

Because California law allows California Family Rights Leave and Pregnancy Disability Leave to be taken consecutively, California's women can take nearly seven months of protected leave while they are pregnant.

HARASSMENT IS ILLEGAL

California law specifically provides that employers may not:

	discharge
	refuse to promote
	refuse to hire
	withhold training or
	harass

pregnant employees.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against, refused leave, harassed, or not been given equal opportunity because you are pregnant, please fill out our online consultation form.

PREGNANCY DISCRIMINATION RESOURCES

	Maternity leave discrimination -- know your rights
	Information about the California Pregnancy Leave Act
	U.S. Department of Labor information regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act - contains information regarding leave while you are pregnant
	The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 - helpful resource regarding pregnancy discrimination
	Maternity discrimination and leave laws: what are your rights?
	Pregnancy Discrimination FAQ's
	California maternity leave law
	California maternity leave information
	More information on maternity leave in California
	More Maternity Leave FAQ's
	Helpful pregnancy leave reference guide
	Pregnancy leave info from babycenter.com