As soon as Laura disclosed her pregnancy to her manager Carl, she noticed a change in her workload and responsibilities. Despite being a highly dedicated and hard working employee, she was suddenly excluded from all the important projects and meetings. When she inquired about the reasons for these changes, Carl casually mentioned that the company was “just trying to reduce her stress levels” during her pregnancy. Laura felt frustrated, marginalised and unsure about her future at the company.
Unfortunately, it is not just Laura who goes through this in the workplace. Pregnancy discrimination is a pervasive issue in workplaces across the USA, affecting many people every year. As a solution, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) of 1978 provides a crucial shield against pregnancy-related bias. The PDA amended the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include pregnancy as a protected characteristic. Under the PDA, organisations with 15 or more employees are prohibited from discriminating against pregnant women in hiring, firing, promotion, pay, job assignments and benefits.
Despite the enactment of these laws, there has still been apparent pregnancy discrimination surfacing in US workplaces. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), pregnancy discrimination charges have increased by 50% since 1992. Similarly a 2020 survey by the Bipartisan Family Centre found that 1 in 5 women reported experiencing pregnancy related discrimination at work. These statistics are alarming, considering that pregnancy discrimination can have severe consequences for women’s career growth and overall well-being. For instance, in 2018, a former employee of Walmart sued the company for pregnancy discrimination, alleging that she was forced to take unpaid leave and was eventually terminated due to her pregnancy.
In order to ensure legal compliances and effectively combating pregnancy discrimination in workplaces, organisations can consider different methods of implementing inclusive practices like
- Establishing clear policies: Developing and communicating clear policies prohibiting pregnancy discrimination, including procedures for reporting and addressing complaints.
- Providing regular training: Offering regular training for managers and employees on what pregnancy discrimination means and how they can recognise and prevent bias against parenthood.
- Offering reasonable accommodations: Providing reasonable accommodations like modified duties, flexible work arrangements and temporary job transfers for pregnant employees depending on their individual requirements.
- Supporting pregnant employees: Providing emotional support and understanding to pregnant employees, recognising the physical and emotional challenges they may face. Organisations can provide this support in the form of allyship networks and peer-to-peer mentorship programs.
- Enforcing laws: Strengthening and enforcing laws protecting pregnant workers, such as the PDA and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
- Documenting incidents: Encouraging pregnant employees to report and document incidents of discrimination or harassment to their HR or management.
By taking these steps, we can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment for pregnant employees, ensuring that they can thrive and succeed without fear of discrimination,marginalisation or loss of career opportunities.
Do you want to ensure that your organisation is free from any sort of pregnancy related discrimination? Write to us at hello@serein.in and we will help you build a foolproof solution from scratch!