Atlanta Pregnancy Discrimination Attorneys 

We Can Help Fight Pregnancy Discrimination Due to Sex or Pregnancy

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, prohibits pregnancy discrimination but until recently it didn’t go far enough. 

Are you the Victim of Sex Discrimination?

Women have been arguing for equal treatment in the workplace and equal pay for more than a hundred years, with the first significant victory coming in 1920 when women were given the right to vote. In the early twentieth century, most working women were nurses, teachers, or store clerks. Most professions were closed to women, and many colleges wouldn’t admit women. During World War II, women were sent to work in the factories to replace the men who were serving in the armed forces, and the signaled a change in the acceptance of women in the workplace. 

Since that time, women have steadily made progress in reaching equality in the workplace, but more needs to be done. Women still do not earn the same pay as men who do the same job, for instance. In a survey done by the Pew Research Center, 42% of women report that they have faced discrimination on the job because they were born female. Additionally, “One-in-four working women (25%) say they have earned less than a man who was doing the same job; one-in-twenty working men (5%) say they have earned less than a female peer,” according to Pew. Moreover, according to the United States Census Bureau, as women get older the pay gap widens.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was designed to redress many wrongs, among them to prevent employers from treating any employee differently simply because of their sex. It was the first significant piece of legislation aimed at making employers treat people fairly. It says:

It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer -

1. to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; or
2. to limit, segregate, or classify his employees or applicants for employment in any way which would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect his status as an employee, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Men can face sex discrimination, too. It’s less common but it does happen. Men who work in traditionally female occupations like teaching or nursing are more likely to feel the sting of discrimination. They can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, however, and eventually a lawsuit, if necessary.

Our law firm can help you get the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact us at (404) 476-5305 to schedule a free consultation. 

Pregnancy Discrimination

A new law gives those who experience issues related to pregnancy the same accommodation rights as those with any other medical condition. Yes, the  The Pregnancy Worker’s Fairness Act of 2023  (PWFA) took effect on June 27, 2023, and it basically says that workers who are experiencing pregnancy or childbirth or related medical conditions are entitled to accommodations, as long as those accommodations don’t cause an employer undue hardship. An accommodation might be a modified schedule, or a different office chair, or the right to attend a company meeting by zoom. When it comes to seeking redress, the EEOC is now accepting charges of discrimination related to pregnancy regarding incidents occurring on or after June 27, 2023. (You can see more about filing pregnancy related claims here on the EEOC website.)

Since the PWFA went into effect as of June 27, 2023, a pregnant office worker will have to be accommodated if it doesn’t cause undue hardship to the employer. For instance, an office worker could work from home rather than expose herself to getting Covid.

There are ways to combat discrimination due to sex or pregnancy. The first step will be to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and then a lawsuit may need to be filed. 

At Beal Sutherland Berlin & Brown we are committed to helping individuals who have endured workplace discrimination due to sex, gender, sexual orientation or pregnancy, and our law firm can help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.