back to work ? - Be Prepared
Pregnancy is hard enough as it is. Many pregnant women need or choose to work during their pregnancy. Unfortunately these women have the possible added stress of pregnancy discrimination ....more
Be Prepared! Know the Pregnancy Discrimination Act - by Susan Tanner
Pregnancy is hard enough as it is. Many pregnant women
need or choose to work during their pregnancy. Unfortunately
these women have the possible added stress of
pregnancy discrimination.
Pregnancy discrimination is less of a problem in today's
workplace as it has been in the past, thanks in part to the
Pregnancy Discrimination Act. As any pregnant woman
who has looked for a job can tell you, pregnancy
discrimination did not simply disappear because it was made
illegal.
That it why it is very important for you to know the rights
and protections guaranteed to you by the Pregnancy
Discrimination act. Being informed is your best defense.
Employment
The pregnancy discrimination act is an amendment to Title
VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Basically, it protects you
from being treated any differently by an employer than any
other non-pregnant woman.
First of all, an employer cannot refuse to hire you based on
your pregnancy, as long as you are able to perform the
major functions of the job to which you are applying.
Once you are hired, or if you already have a job when you
become pregnant, you are protected from pregnancy
discrimination in many ways. Your employer must allow
you to work as long as you are able to perform your job.
Your employer is not allowed to require you to take
mandatory maternity leave, or to prevent you from coming back
to work as soon as you'd like, after the baby's birth.
If you are temporarily unable to perform your job due to
pregnancy, your employer must treat you the same as any
other temporarily disabled employee by providing
modified tasks, alternative assignments, disability leave, or
leave without pay.
Health Insurance
Any health insurance provided by your employer must
cover expenses for pregnancy related conditions on the
same basis as costs for other medical conditions. Health
insurance for expenses from an abortion is not required,
except in cases where your life is endangered.
Your pregnancy related expenses should be reimbursed
exactly as those incurred for other medical conditions. The
amount paid by the insurance provider can only be limited
to the same extent as costs for other conditions. No
increased or additional deductible can be imposed because of
your pregnancy.
Benefits
Benefits related to pregnancy cannot be limited to married
employees. If your employer provides any benefits to
workers on leave, they must provide the same benefits for
those on leave for pregnancy related reasons. While you
are pregnant, you must be treated the same as other
employees for accrual of seniority, vacation calculation, pay
increases, and temporary disability benefits.
Pregnancy discrimination will not go away anytime soon.
Hopefully though, armed with this information, you can
defend yourself from pregnancy discrimination and feel
comfortable in your workplace throughout your pregnancy
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