Filing a Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit: What You Need to Know
Federal and state employment laws provide workers across the country with certain protections, one of which is a work environment that is free of discrimination. Employment discrimination laws make it illegal to discriminate against an employee based on race, religion, gender, disability, national origin, and pregnancy.
Individuals who have experienced pregnancy discrimination from an employer have the right to file a legal claim and pursue compensation for damages. When filing a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit, there are things to know. Here, employment discrimination lawyers at Chanfrau & Chanfrau provide workers in Daytona Beach, FL, Palm Coast, FL, and surrounding areas with valuable information about these types of cases.
What Is Considered Pregnancy Discrimination?
One of the most important things to know in regards to a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit is what the court considers discriminatory behavior. Pregnancy discrimination involves treating an employee or job applicant unfavorably because of pregnancy, childbirth, or any medical condition related to pregnancy/childbirth.
Potential examples of pregnancy discrimination include:
- Denying a job applicant employment based on pregnancy
- Denying a promotion or certain training/employment opportunities based on pregnancy
- Demoting an employee based on pregnancy
- Changing an employee’s job assignment based on pregnancy
- Laying off or terminating an employee based on pregnancy
- Failing to provide reasonable accommodations to a pregnant employee
What Needs to Be Proven By the Plaintiff?
To obtain a favorable ruling and/or settlement in a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit, the plaintiff must be able to demonstrate that they were treated differently than other employees who were similarly situated and that the difference in treatment was due to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related condition.
Employers know the repercussions they face if they are found guilty of pregnancy discrimination, so they are likely to use all their resources to fight against a pregnancy discrimination claim. Since proving discrimination is so complex, victims should work with knowledgeable employment discrimination lawyers who can gather the evidence necessary to substantiate a claim.
How Much Time Do You Have to File a Pregnancy Discrimination Claim?
Another important thing to know about pregnancy discrimination lawsuits is that employees only have a certain amount of time to file a claim.
First, employees in the state of Florida have 300 days from the date of the discrimination to file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunty Commision (EEOC). If there is no determination by the EEOC within 180 days, then a lawsuit can be filed.
However, statutes of limitations in Florida dictate that an employee has just one year to file a lawsuit of pregnancy discrimination if a determination was not made by the EEOC.
What Types of Damages May Be Awarded?
When filing a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit on behalf of our Daytona Beach clients, our lawyers pursue maximum compensation for related damages. Potential areas of compensation include:
- Back pay
- Front pay
- Lost benefits
- Court and attorney fees
- Emotional pain and suffering
Contact Our Law Firm
If you believe that you have been a victim of pregnancy discrimination in the workforce, the lawyers at Chanfrau & Chanfrau would be happy to help you consider your legal options regarding compensation for damages. To discuss the details of your claim, contact our law firm online, or call (386) 258-7313 and schedule a personal consultation.
