Los Angeles Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer

Los Angeles Pregnancy Discrimination Attorney

Every employee working in Los Angeles is protected at the state and federal levels in various ways when it comes to their relationship with their employer and their rights in the workplace. However, pregnant employees have additional protections they may not be aware of. If you have faced discrimination based on your pregnancy status, reach out to a Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination lawyer at the Shirazi Law Firm, PC, for guidance.

Employment Discrimination in California

Most workers throughout the state are at least partially aware of their rights when it comes to proper treatment from their employers, such as the wage and hour laws that apply to them and what type of conduct is acceptable in their workplaces. Unfortunately, some employees are not fully aware of their rights or how to discern when an employer has violated them.

One of the most challenging forms of employment discrimination is pregnancy discrimination, not only due to the severity of this type of employee mistreatment but also the host of complications the victim can face as a result of their employer’s misconduct.

If you, your spouse, or another family member has lost a job and believes this occurred because the employer discovered your pregnancy, you likely have grounds to file a pregnancy discrimination claim against the employer. This is a type of sexual discrimination that is illegal at both the federal and state levels.

While it should have never happened in the first place, your employer may be less likely to show the same discrimination you experienced if they are held responsible for the illegal and improper treatment of their employee.

Hire a Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer

The Shirazi Law Firm, P.C., can help you determine your most effective options for legal recourse, even if your situation seems hopeless at first. You deserve justice as well as monetary compensation for the mistreatment that you have experienced, and your employer needs to be held accountable for their actions.

Our Los Angeles employment lawyers can help you build a strong and compelling case that assists you in the pursuit of your desired outcomes and encourages better practices for your workplace in the future.

Pregnancy Discrimination in Los Angeles, CA

It’s illegal for any Los Angeles employer to discriminate against an employee or job applicant on the basis of their sex or any other protected personal traits. Unfortunately, many employers view pregnant employees as financial liabilities.

These employees will inevitably need to take time off from work for childbirth and parental leave, and their employers are typically responsible for providing health care coverage as part of their employees’ benefits packages.

Pregnancy is incredibly demanding on the mother’s body, and they must attend various medical appointments throughout their pregnancy to welcome a healthy newborn. Employers must follow federal and state law when it comes to medical leave and reasonable accommodation for their employees, and this applies to pregnancy as well as serious injuries and illnesses. Women disabled by pregnancy or conditions related to pregnancy are entitled to disability leave.

Unfortunately, pregnancy discrimination is prevalent in the workplace. During the joyous and stressful time of being pregnant, women are often refused pregnancy and disability leave they are entitled to, retaliated against, and even terminated because their employers do not want to be inconvenienced. According to a poll that was conducted in 2022, 20% of mothers have personally faced workplace discrimination because of pregnancy.

While your employer may be overwhelmed by your need to take leave, it is their legal responsibility to allow you to do so. If they threaten to terminate or actually terminate your employment, they are breaking the law.

Both Federal and California law prevent such actions, so if your employer is bullying you, do not sacrifice your right to leave out of fear. You have the legal right to take pregnancy leave regardless of what they say.

If you or someone you know has been fired or mistreated because of their disability or fired while on disability or pregnancy leave in Los Angeles, please contact us for a free confidential consultation. An experienced Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination lawyer is the ideal resource to consult in this situation, and your legal team can potentially uncover options for legal recourse.

About Being Fired For Taking Pregnancy Medical Leave in Los Angeles, CA

Unfortunately, pregnancy discrimination is prevalent in the workplace. During the joyous and stressful time of being pregnant, women are often refused pregnancy and disability leave they are entitled to, retaliated against, and even terminated because their employers do not want to be inconvenienced. Both Federal and California law prevent such actions.

How to Prove Your Pregnancy Discrimination Claim in Los Angeles

Employers often point to performance or the needs of the business to justify the decisions they make right after you disclose your pregnancy or make an accommodation request. That’s why you need to back your claim up with strong evidence in order to secure a favorable outcome. Some of the elements you must be able to prove include:

• You were pregnant, had a pregnancy-related condition, or requested an accommodation or leave of absence
• You were qualified for your role and performing in that role
• You suffered an adverse action, like termination, demotion, cut hours, or denial of an accommodation or leave
• There’s a link between the pregnancy and the adverse action, like suspicious timing after the disclosure, inconsistent explanations, comparators, or biased comments

Some of the strongest types of evidence in these kinds of cases can include performance reviews from before and after disclosure, written denials of accommodations or leave, inconsistencies in company policy, other coworkers treated differently, and texts, emails, or comments that reference the pregnancy or leave.

When the facts line up, they tell a clear story about why your employer acted the way they did. At Shirazi Law Firm, P.C., our team can help you gather the evidence needed so we can ensure you get the justice you deserve.

Subtle Warning Signs That You Might Be Facing Discrimination

There is no one act or behavior that defines the legal concept of discrimination. It can sometimes be difficult to know when an employer is crossing the line. Whether or not a certain action or pattern of behavior is considered discrimination is often based on perception. Regardless of an employer’s intentions, if an employee reasonably believes they are being discriminated against, authorities are likely to side with the employee.

Unfortunately, many employers discriminate purposefully, but they may do it in ways that are not immediately obvious. The following are some examples of behaviors that should be red flags for pregnancy discrimination:

• Refusal to provide light duty. When an employee is injured, whether on the job or not, it is reasonable for the employee to ask their employer to provide them with light-duty work. Employers in California are also required to make this accommodation, wherever possible, for pregnant employees who request it. If your employer provides light duty for injured workers, but not for you when pregnant, they are likely discriminating.
• Skipping over you for promotions. If you are pregnant and qualified for a promotion, but your employer promotes less experienced or less qualified employees over you, you may be experiencing pregnancy discrimination.
• Keeping you out of the loop. When an employee is pregnant, an employer may anticipate needing to replace that employee or redistribute some of their work. If you are pregnant and notice your employer leaving you out of email conversations, meetings, or other workplace communications in which you would normally be included, this may be a covert sign of discrimination.
• Unusual negative reviews. If you are an employee who usually receives positive performance reviews, and you are suddenly receiving negative feedback after informing your employer of your pregnancy, this is cause for concern. Your employer may be trying to establish a paper trail to support terminating you for subpar performance.
• Pressuring you to take leave at a certain time. You may intend to take maternity leave toward the end of your pregnancy, or after your baby is born. Legally, your employer cannot push you to take more leave than you want to take, or to take the leave earlier or later than you want to take it.
• Commenting on your commitment. Your pregnancy should not be assumed to have any bearing on your ability to do your job or your commitment to your career. Sometimes, employers subtly attempt to push employees toward quitting by making comments that question the employee’s dedication or ability to do their job after having a baby.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the ways an employer might subtly discriminate against a pregnant employee. If you perceive that your employer is discriminating against you based on your pregnancy, it is likely that you are correct, and you should take steps to protect yourself and the future of your career.

CASE FOCUS: SARAH

Sarah informed her employer that she had become pregnant and was visibly showing. As a result, she would need reasonable accommodations (including time off) for her pregnancy, medical condition, and child bonding.

Sarah had to go to the hospital for a pregnancy issue. After she informed her employer of the hospital visit for her pregnancy she was immediately terminated.

Sarah’s employer unlawfully used her pregnancy and medical condition against her and terminated her employment to avoid dealing with her medical and parental needs.

RECOVERING FROM PREGNANCY DISCRIMINATION IN LOS ANGELES

You may know that you can take legal action against an employer that discriminated against you because you were pregnant, but you may not know the full scope of compensation you can seek from them. Your economic damages are generally easy to calculate with appropriate documentation. For example, if you were fired, you could claim compensation for the wages you should have earned; it is also possible to recover compensation for lost benefits.

If you need to seek compensation from an employer regarding pregnancy discrimination, you should begin by consulting a discrimination attorney to help you understand your legal position and build your case. After you have determined that you have a legitimate case, you should report your employer’s conduct to the California Civil Rights Department, which will review the details of your report and determine whether discrimination is likely to have occurred.

If the California Civil Rights Department finds that your complaint is most likely legitimate, you will receive a notice from the department stating as much. After you have received this notice, you may file a civil action against your employer. When you file such a claim, your attorney can negotiate with your employer’s attorney to reach a satisfactory settlement. If no settlement can be reached through discussion, the case may need to go to trial.

The motivation behind wrongful terminations rooted in pregnancy discrimination is usually cost avoidance; the employer seeks to minimize overhead costs and the financial liability they perceive a pregnant employee to present. However, once the employer is found to have violated California’s employee discrimination laws, they face a host of financial penalties that will eclipse whatever they owed to the employee.

Your Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination attorney can help you recover the amount of economic losses the employer caused and compensation for the emotional distress you experienced.

FAQs About Los Angeles, CA Pregnancy Discrimination Laws

How Much Does a Los Angeles Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer Cost?

The final price of a Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination lawyer tends to differ case by case in California, but there are a few consistent factors that can impact the overall cost. These factors include who you hire, how long your case takes to resolve, and what level of complexity your case may offer. At the Shirazi Law Firm, P.C., we take these cases on a contingency basis, meaning we receive a percentage of settlements rather than asking for an up-front fee.

What Kind of Evidence Do I Need to Help Prove Pregnancy Discrimination in California?

When you are building a case in California to prove that you have been the subject of pregnancy discrimination at your place of employment, a few forms of documentation can prove to be strong evidence for your case. It is wise to keep copies of all correspondence, from write-ups, demotions, and even eventual termination. These can be found in documents, emails, witness testimonials, texts, formal complaints, and any other relevant communications.

Can I Represent Myself in a Pregnancy Discrimination Case in California?

In California, it is perfectly legal for you to represent yourself in a pregnancy discrimination case, but there are many benefits to hiring a Los Angeles pregnancy discrimination lawyer. Not only can they help you be successful, but they can explain complicated jargon and proceedings and be a source of compassionate guidance, directing you every step of the way so that you do not need to carry the weight of your stress and anxiety alone.

Does California Law Protect Employees Against Pregnancy Discrimination?

Under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), it is illegal to discriminate against pregnant employees. This law states that employees cannot be discriminated against for anything associated with sexuality or gender, including choices regarding pregnancy. It is illegal for your employer to terminate your employment because of pregnancy. They also may not deny or offer you anything due to your condition or show favoritism.

Los Angeles Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer | $1.6M+ Recovered

Time is always a critical factor in every type of employment discrimination case in Los Angeles, CA. You have a limited time in which to file a complaint under California law, but your pregnancy, your related medical issues, and the economic strain of your adverse mistreatment from your employer can easily create a very desperate situation for you and your family.

If you believe you have been wrongfully terminated because of your pregnancy, you need to hire a pregnancy discrimination lawyer from Shirazi Law Firm, P.C. Give us a call at 310-299-9252 or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation.

Los Angeles, CA Pregnancy Discrimination Resources

• What to Do if You Experience Pregnancy Discrimination in Los Angeles?
• Can You Get Fired While Pregnant in California?
• How to File a Pregnancy Discrimination Claim in Los Angeles?
• What Happens If I Don’t Return To Work After Maternity Leave in California?
• California Pregnancy Accommodation Law
• What to Do If You Are Denied Maternity Leave in Los Angeles?
• How To Prove Pregnancy Discrimination in The Workplace in Los Angeles?
• Post-Pregnancy Workplace Discrimination in California

Shirazi Law Firm Office

Address: 9454 Wilshire Blvd Penthouse, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Phone: (310) 400-5891