For women in Michigan, getting pregnant is often one of the happiest times in their lives. They’re looking forward to starting families and becoming mothers. When everything goes smoothly, it’s wonderful. When there are medical complications, things become a lot more difficult. What’s even more difficult is when those medical complications come about due to issues at work.
The US Department of Labor states that nearly 50% of the workforce is made up of women. Of that number, 85% will become pregnant during their working lives. While these statistics are good news for women in general, there can be a darker side.
A nationwide increase in pregnancy discrimination
Pregnancy discrimination is a very serious problem in the United States. In the past ten years, there have been over 50,000 pregnancy discrimination claims filed with the equal opportunity commission and Sarah Employment Practices agencies.
Pregnancy discrimination is any sort of discrimination that affects women who are pregnant, women who have just given birth, or women who have given birth within the last year. It applies to any sort of mistreatment or discrimination that these women receive due to their conditions. That mistreatment could be anything from withholding promotion opportunities from pregnant women to disparaging or harassing women who are about to give birth or who have given birth.
When these conditions arise, pregnant employees end up feeling tons of stress. Stress is one of the most dangerous to pregnant women. It can lead to issues that cause extreme damage to their health as well as the health of their unborn children. Workplaces need to do everything they can to help ensure the safety and well-being of their pregnant employees. If they don’t, they could find themselves subject to lawsuits.
People who have found themselves victims of pregnancy discrimination may benefit from working with attorneys who have experience handling employment law with this experience understand how to navigate the complex legalities surrounding workers’ rights in the workplace.