Facts About Pregnancy Discrimination
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act makes it illegal for companies to demote, fire, or in any other way discriminate against a worker because of her pregnancy, or for her decision to request pregnancy leave. Additionally, California’s Pregnancy Disability Leave Law requires California companies to provide employees with four months of leave for employees who need medical leave as a result of their pregnancy. The employer’s duty to provide four months of pregnancy related medical leave is provided for explicitly in the law. Even if a company has a different policy in regards to medical disability leaves, it will still be required to provide pregnancy employees with such medical leave. This law provides pregnant employees with benefits beyond the general disability leave rules that exist in California.
Another law that is potentially applicable in pregnancy related discrimination cases is the California Family Rights Act. After the employee has given birth, she may be entitled to an additional twelve weeks of leave under the California Family Rights Act. However, in order for the California Family Rights Act to apply, the employer must employ at least 5 workers and the pregnant employee must have worked for the company for at least one year, and have logged at least 1,250 hours of work in the last year.
Contact Our California Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyers
If you have been fired or laid off because of your pregnancy, you should speak with a California employment attorney to discuss the possibility of recovering damages for lost wages, emotional distress, as well as punitive damages. We handle most cases on a contingency fee basis, which means we only get paid if we recover money for you. Contact us today at (866) 672-7947 to speak with a California discrimination lawyer for a free consultation about your case.