Pregnancy Discrimination

Protecting the Civil Rights of Missouri Employees

All employees are protected under the law from discrimination, including harassment, sexual or inappropriate comments, teasing, and other behavior that may create a hostile and offensive work environment or space. State and federal legal protections also extended to include discrimination related to your pregnancy status.

Pregnancy discrimination often involves treating the pregnant women or someone who is an applicant or employee unfavorably due to:

• Pregnancy
• Childbirth
• A medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth

Pregnancy anti-discrimination laws apply to any employer, supervisor, or fellow employee. However, even though these laws exist to protect pregnant employees against adverse employment actions, many employers fail to enforce these rules.

If you have been discriminated against due to pregnancy in Missouri or Illinois, you have the right to take legal action against the perpetrator. Do not hesitate to contact an experienced sex discrimination lawyer from our firm to fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact Riggan Law Firm of Missouri to schedule a consultation so that we may evaluate your case and determine your legal options.

What are Examples of Pregnancy Discrimination in the Workplace?

Some ways an employer might discriminate against you due to your pregnancy may include:

• Terminating or refusing to hire you
• Harassment
• Not providing reasonable accommodations
• Firing or discriminating for pumping breast milk
• Forcing you to take time off or change jobs
• Restricting pregnancy-related medical leave
• Retaliating against you for complaining of pregnancy discrimination

Be especially aware that even if your employer frames their behavior as a move in your best interest, they do not have the authority to demote or fire you for discrimination based on your pregnancy status. For example, if a job necessitates lifting heavy objects, your safety is ultimately up to you and your physician to decide, not your employer.

Frequent and pervasive conduct on the topic of your pregnancy, such as unwelcome and offensive jokes, insults, physical threats, and intimidation, are unlawful discrimination in the workplace when they interfere with your work performance and create a hostile working environment.

If you are still unclear about what may constitute pregnancy discrimination, contact our law firm to schedule an appointment with a knowledgeable employer lawyer who will provide you with more information.

What are Your Employment Rights During and After Pregnancy?

Pregnancy discrimination laws enacted under the Civil Rights Act exist to ensure that pregnant workers are treated fairly. For example, a pregnant employee who takes leave should be treated like any other employee seeking leave. When an employee is temporarily disabled and unable to perform their work due to their pregnancy, the employer must treat them the same as they would treat any other temporarily disabled employee.

Furthermore, under federal laws, the employer may be required to provide modified tasks, alternative assignments, disability leave, or unpaid leave to a pregnant employee. In other instances, pregnant employees may need more frequent breaks and modified work schedules to include remote participation or light duty; likewise, suppose an employer provides personal leave for other reasons, such as taking courses or training or attending to personal affairs. In that case, the employer must grant personal leave to the same extent for caring for a new child.

Finally, an employer may not dictate to an employee who has given birth how long they must stay on leave before returning to work. If an employee is physically capable of performing their job duties and is willing to return from leave, an employer may not prohibit that decision to return.

How Can I Take Legal Action Against Pregnancy Discrimination?

Certain pregnant employees who work for a covered employer may have additional rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Under the FMLA, eligible employees are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity or paternity leave relating to the birth, adoption, or foster care of a child. Note that to be eligible, the employee must have worked for the employer for 12 months before taking the leave, and the employer must have a specified number of employees (50 employees within a 75-mile radius).

The FMLA establishes that a female employee on maternity leave must return to the same salary and benefits as before and the same working conditions. Therefore, your employer must legally preserve your position and benefits like they would preserve them for an individual on sick or disability leave.

If you feel that you have unfairly lost employment-related opportunities and benefits due to your pregnancy, contact an experienced discrimination lawyer at Riggan Law Firm, LLC immediately. You are entitled to appropriate compensation for any damages you have incurred. Our pregnancy discrimination lawyers can help defend your rights to employment, both during and after pregnancy, and fight against unfair discrimination practices related to your pregnancy status.

Why Choose a Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer From the Riggan Law Firm?

Our employment discrimination lawyers represent workers who have been treated differently due to pregnancy. Our dedicated legal team recognizes that it can be very overwhelming to have to deal with discrimination based on pregnancy.

Our employment attorneys have extensive experience helping clients deal with pregnancy and gender discrimination and will fight to help you receive the fair treatment you deserve. Regardless of whether your employer refuses to provide reasonable accommodations or is trying to make illegal employment decisions on your behalf, Riggan Law Firm is here to help.

Our attorneys have extensive knowledge and experience utilizing the resources of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act to help clients with their legal needs. As a result, our employment lawyers are passionately committed to ensuring that our clients are not singled out, terminated, or treated differently due to pregnancy.

Some of the other most significant advantages of working with our pregnancy discrimination lawyers include:

• Attentive communication with every client
• Over 30 years of combined experience
• Time-sensitive results

Contact Riggan Law Firm today at our Missouri law office by calling 314-528-9661 to schedule a consultation so that we may professionally evaluate your case and learn how we can protect your rights.