Pregnancy Discrimination

Find a Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer in Los Angeles and all over California – Learn more about your rights!

California law protects employees against discrimination or harassment because of an employee’s pregnancy, childbirth, or any related medical condition (referred to below as “because of pregnancy”). California law also prohibits employers from denying or interfering with an employee’s pregnancy-related employment rights.

Your employer has an obligation to:

Reasonably accommodate your medical needs related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions (such as temporarily modifying your work duties, providing you with a stool or chair, or allowing more frequent breaks);

Transfer you to a less strenuous or hazardous position (where one is available) or duties if medically needed because of your pregnancy; and

Provide you with pregnancy disability leave (PDL) of up to four months (the working days you normally would work in one-third of a year or 17 1/3 weeks) and return you to your same job when you are no longer disabled by your pregnancy or, in certain instances, to a comparable job. Taking PDL, however, does not protect you from non-leave-related employment actions, such as a layoff.

Provide a reasonable amount of break time and use of a room or other location in close proximity to the employee’s work area to express breast milk in private as set forth in the Labor Code.

What Damages Can Be Recovered in a Pregnancy Discrimination Case?

Discrimination against a pregnant employee can bring on various financial and personal hardships. As such, if
a worker is subject to unfair treatment in the workplace, they may seek compensation for damages suffered
because of their employer’s actions or inactions.

What are some examples of pregnancy discrimination in the workplace?

You were not hired as a result of your pregnancy.
You were terminated because you were or are currently pregnant.
You were demoted due to your pregnancy.
You were denied promotions as a result of your pregnancy.
You were denied maternity leave.
You were denied training during your pregnancy.
You were denied reasonable accommodations as a result of your pregnancy-related disability.
You were harassed and verbally abused as a result of your pregnancy.
When you returned from maternity leave, you were unable to return to any position of employment.

Do most discrimination cases settle?

Most civil cases settle before going to trial. Sometimes cases will settle even before a lawsuit is filed, or settle
at some point during the course of litigation. Thus, the vast majority of discrimination lawsuits are settled
without having to go to trial.

What are the odds of winning a discrimination case?

It is impossible to calculate the odds of winning a discrimination case, because each case is different. It is
difficult to predict the end result at the beginning of a case. The best course of action is to talk with an
experienced attorney about your particular circumstances.

How much does a discrimination lawyer cost?

While some law firms charge a fee up front, JLG only charges a contingency fee – meaning we won’t get paid,
unless you get paid. Schedule a free call with one of our legal experts now and find out how we can help you.