Are they messing with you at work just because you’re pregnant?

10/17/22 • 9 min

Let me tell you a story about a current pregnant client who’s enduring wild discriminatory hostility just because she’s with child. I discuss what her (and your) rights are under the pregnancy protective federal and state statutes.

Previous Episode

undefined - Repetition is the Mother of Skill. So it Bears Repeating! If You're an EXPECTANT MOTHER, You are Entitled TO FLEXIBILITY AND WORKPLACE ACCOMMODATIONS!

Repetition is the Mother of Skill. So it Bears Repeating! If You're an EXPECTANT MOTHER, You are Entitled TO FLEXIBILITY AND WORKPLACE ACCOMMODATIONS!

Under federal and most state and city anti-discrimination laws, almost ALL employers are required to show compassion and flexibility* to its pregnant employees during their pregnancies, after their babies are born, and even after they return to work and require accommodations for lactation and breast feeding purposes.

Any differential or hostile workplace treatment because of pregnancy is illegal sex, gender, and pregnancy discrimination and often disability discrimination, too.

Document in writing any requests for flexibility and pregnancy-related accommodations, as well as complaints about discriminatory treatment you're experiencing due to your pregnancy, related medical conditions, and your need for OB/Gyn appointments and testing, and requests for temporary light duty.

Step up and fight for your right to be equal! And don't quit your job due to discrimination, as that's like throwing out the baby with the bath water! 🙄🤓

Put the company on notice about your requests and complaints, and let them investigate and do the right thing to hook you up, as they're required to do.

If your company treats you worse, or refuses to implement a reasonable request for flexibility of your pregnancy, then you can chat with an employment lawyer.

*Compassion and flexibility is better known in legal parlance as reasonable accommodations of the natural limitations of pregnancy, or its related medical issues.

Next Episode

We're back in the saddle weekly on Friday's at 9 am!

Deborah O'Rell and I (and guests in the women's rights and health space) will be recording this podcast again on Fridays at 9 am.

We'll be chatting and riffing about women's workplace rights in terms of pregnancy protections, what to do about your perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms if they're interfering with your performance, how to advocate to be paid what your worth, and what to do when you're being sexualized at work.