Pregnancy And Family Medical Leave
Jennifer was engaged to be married when she joined the company as a project manager. She worked hard, earned the required certification and actively sought out ways to improve her performance. When it became obvious she was pregnant, she was fired with little explanation, only “We didn’t know you were pregnant when we hired you.”
If this case sounds familiar, call Hennig, Ruiz & Singh at to discuss your circumstances with our office.
The law firm at Hennig, Ruiz & Singh in Los Angeles, offers a team of highly regarded pregnancy discrimination attorneys that specializes in representing victims protected under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These laws prohibit both private and government employers from engaging in pregnancy-related discrimination in regard to the hiring, compensation, promotion or termination of employees.
No California employer may terminate, harass or mistreat an employee based on pregnancy and maternity discrimination. If it has happened to you, call us at .
California’s anti-discrimination laws are among the most generous in the entire nation, further stating that pregnant employees are entitled to “take leave for a reasonable period of time, not to exceed four months” after the birth of the child. The Hennig, Ruiz & Singh represents employees who have become victims of pregnancy and maternity discrimination by providing rigorous advocacy and the highest levels of protection of your rights under the law.
What Is ‘Pregnancy Discrimination?’
Being pregnant with a child should be a cause for celebration, but it can also be accompanied by a level of extra stress. Expectant mothers often experience morning sickness along with minor aches and discomfort, and then there is sometimes the extra worry of unwanted financial strain. Adding to this list of life changes is the regular doctors’ visits throughout the pregnancy. The last thing that you need is to worry about whether or not you will have the ability to support your child after it is born.
Pregnancy-related discrimination can take many forms. Employers, supervisors and even co-workers often discriminate for a variety of personal reasons and biases. Some may feel that expectant women are not pulling their weight at the office. Others are prejudiced against working mothers in general, believing that all mothers should stay home with their kids. Women should not be forced to deal with any form of discriminatory or retaliatory action from others in the workplace, including:
- Termination of employment during pregnancy or after childbirth
- Denial of promotions
- Denial of maternity leave
- Denial of company training programs
- Demotions
- Denial of adequate time off for medical needs
- Denial of adequate accommodations for pregnant employees
- Refusal to transfer pregnant employees to less strenuous positions
- Failure to offer employment upon return from maternity leave
- Other hostile work environments
California Pregnancy Disability Leave Law
In California, state and federal laws protect pregnant women and allow for maternity leave, pregnancy disability leave and post-pregnancy leave. For example, the California Pregnancy Disability Leave Law (PDLL) requires California employers to provide up to four months of leave for employees actually disabled by pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions. Once an employee has given birth, she may be entitled to an additional 12 weeks of leave “for the reason of the birth of a child” under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Entitlement to CFRA leave for the birth of a child depends on 1) whether the employer employs more than 50 workers within a 75-mile radius, 2) whether the employee worked more than 1,250 hours in the 12 months preceding the first day of the requested CFRA leave or any pregnancy disability leave and 3) whether the employee has more than one year of service with the employer. An employee must meet all of these requirements to qualify for CFRA leave.
If you are a victim of pregnancy and maternity discrimination, call Hennig, Ruiz & Singh today. It is important that you have an experienced and qualified pregnancy discrimination lawyer on your side. Our attorneys will work closely with you to ensure that you completely understand your rights under the law. We will work tirelessly to secure the highest levels of compensation for your losses, pain and suffering.
Contact Us
If you have been terminated either during pregnancy or upon return from maternity leave due to pregnancy-related discrimination, please contact Hennig, Ruiz & Singh immediately for a free consultation. Our team of highly experienced pregnancy discrimination attorneys will help you stand up for your rights and fight for the financial compensation you are entitled to under the law.
Please visit our Do I Have A Case? page to answer a few questions relating to your circumstances. If the questionnaire indicates you may have a case against your employer, call our offices at 213-985-1305 or use the contact form to request a free consultation.