Search Results for: blog pregnancy discrimination at work

How To Stay Comfortable At Work

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Whether you work in an office or your job requires you to stand up all day, it can extremely tiring for a pregnant woman to stay comfortable on the job. Sitting for too long can wear on hurting hips. Standing all day can not only make hips and joints sore, but can make edema worse. The closer you get to your due date and the more your baby grows, the harder it gets. Here are some tips for staying comfortable as possible while you are working. If you work at a desk, it is especially important to take frequent breaks … Continue reading →

Pregnancy, the Economy, and Your Job

The current economic recession/depression has many people worried about their future job security. This includes pregnant women, who may worry about their health insurance and maternity leave benefits as well as the job. A recent study suggests pregnant women may actually be most at risk of losing jobs during a recession. The study was conducted at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The study’s author looked at this and past recessions in collecting data about employment for pregnant women in times of economic hard ship. During difficult times, pregnant women may be seen as a ‘weak link’ or easily fired. Sometimes … Continue reading →

What to do if You Face Pregnancy Discrimination

As I reported in this blog, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has reported an increase in pregnancy discrimination complaints. Many mistakenly believe this type of discrimination no longer happens with laws designed to prevent it. Unfortunately, women are still experiencing pregnancy discrimination in the work place. According to the EEOC, women in fields traditionally dominated by women and women of color are the groups most affected by the increase in complaints. The organization plans a large public awareness campaign in an attempt to reduce pregnancy discrimination. In the meantime, what should you do if you are faced with discrimination … Continue reading →

Pregnancy Discrimination Complaints on the Rise

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington D.C. tracks complaints of pregnancy related discrimination in the United States each year. The organization has reported a dramatic increase in complaints for the year 2007. In fact, the number of complaints has been gradually increasing over the past decade, despite the fact that discriminating against pregnant women has been illegal for 30 years. In 2007, pregnancy discrimination complaints increased by 65 percent, representing a significant increase over prior years. This information was released by the National Partnership for Women and Families on the 30th anniversary of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The Pregnancy … Continue reading →

Insurer Shouldn’t have Discriminated Against Moms

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Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) was telling women who applied for a mortgage insurance policy that their application would be denied unless they got off of maternity leave and returned to work. Courts decided that this was discrimination against women. MGIC now has to pay some very large settlements. In May of 2010, Carly Neals applied with PNC Mortgage to refinance the mortgage loan on the home that she and her husband own. They live in Wexford, Pennsylvania. PNC determined that since Ms. Neals wanted to borrow 90% of the value of her home that she required private mortgage insurance. … Continue reading →

Parents with Parking Privileges

My daughter cackles like Woody Woodpecker each time I drive past the stork parking spaces at Wal-Mart and suggest she get back into my tummy, so that we can snag the sweet spot. It’s a great joke. Kind of. Maybe. Ok, I’m not really joking. I really wish the kid could crawl under my shirt so I could pull into the first stall… but only during the winter months… and when I am in a hurry… and during the back-to-school sales and… Who am I kidding? I would love to bypass the jokers in the parking lot, who drive like … Continue reading →

Unpaid Leave Restricted in Ohio

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Some people are very upset after a recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling that allows employers to reserve unpaid leave for workers who have been employed for a minimum of twelve months. The law covers pregnant women as well. This ruling follows a case in which a woman sued her employer for firing her after she gave birth and did not promptly return to work. At the time of her delivery, she had only been employed for 8 months. The nursing home where she worked had a policy in place that required employees to work for twelve months before they could … Continue reading →

Labor Pains (The Movie)

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I just got done watching the ABC Family Sunday night movie starring Lindsay Lohan. “Labor Pains” tells the story of an irresponsible secretary named Thea who works at a publishing firm and blurts out she is expecting when her boss tries to fire her, thinking it will save her job. It does, but the lie forces Thea to fake a pregnancy for the next two months! The lie grows bigger and bigger and so does her belly, thanks to the foam pregnant bellies she has been stealing from the maternity store. Throughout the movie, Thea and her boss are putting … Continue reading →

The Economy and Telling the Boss You’re Pregnant

Telling the boss about a pregnancy is often a stressful situation, whether the new mom is planning to stay employed after the baby is born or not. In the current economic downturn, the stakes are even higher. Companies are laying off workers in almost every sector and women may have real reasons to be worried. If layoffs are coming, women may fear telling the boss because they fear losing the job. Despite federal laws, pregnant workers continue to be seen as more expendable than their non pregnant peers. Employers may worry that the mother will leave the job after the … Continue reading →

Changes in Maternity Benefits for Federal Employees

Good news may be on the horizon for federal employees. Two weeks ago, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s Federal Workforce Subcommitee approved a bill that would offer federal employees four weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of an infant. This is amazing news for mothers to be employed by the federal government. The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 provided 12 weeks of unpaid leave for many reasons, including the birth of a baby. The problem with this legislation is the leave is unpaid. The new bill would offer new mothers the security of some … Continue reading →