La Palma Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer

La Palma Pregnancy Discrimination Attorney

Bringing a new child into the world should be an exciting time in your life. However, when you become the target of harassment and workplace discrimination due to your pregnancy, that excitement can quickly turn into stress, uncertainty, and fear about your job. If you’ve been harassed or discriminated against due to your pregnancy, consult a La Palma pregnancy discrimination lawyer. They can help protect your rights and pursue compensation for your losses.

What Is Pregnancy Discrimination?

Pregnancy discrimination is any unfavorable treatment of job applicants or employees due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. This type of discrimination can take many forms. Refusing to hire a pregnant applicant, firing a worker for becoming pregnant, or giving a pregnant employee undesirable tasks all qualify as discrimination. Similarly, refusing to provide reasonable accommodations to a pregnant employee may also be illegal.

What’s more, employees can also experience pregnancy discrimination regarding their legally protected leave. Refusing leave, trying to get an employee to return early, and punishing a worker when they return can all qualify as discrimination. Various federal and state laws not only protect an employee’s job when they take leave but also prevent employers from retaliating against them for requesting or taking leave.

California Laws Protecting Pregnant Workers

With one in five mothers reporting discrimination in the workplace due to pregnancy, it’s important for La Palma workers to know what laws protect them. California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Pregnancy Disability Leave Law (PDLL), and Family Rights Act (CFRA) all afford pregnant workers protections. The PDLL and CFRA both provide job protection, with the PDLL protecting workers disabled due to pregnancy and the CFRA granting leave for up to 12 weeks to bond with a new child.

FEHA also prevents employers from discriminating against or harassing pregnant workers. Keep in mind that this law only applies to employers with five or more employees, as well as all government employers.

Damages Employees Can Pursue for Pregnancy Discrimination

In 2023, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 2,966 charges of pregnancy discrimination. Employees who have faced pregnancy discrimination should know there are various damages they can pursue. Compensation for discrimination or harassment based on pregnancy includes:

• Front and back pay
• Lost benefits
• Reinstatement
• Reasonable accommodations
• Injunctive relief
• Emotional distress
• Attorney fees

Your attorney can help you understand the full value of your pregnancy discrimination case. They can collect documents and other evidence of your losses, file a claim with the state’s Civil Rights Department or the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, represent you in settlement negotiations with your employer, and take your case to court if negotiations fail.

About The Law Office of Briana Kim

At The Law Office of Briana Kim, you’re more than just another case on our desk. We treat each client with the respect they deserve, so you get the attention and dedication you need. We’re a small firm focused primarily on employment law. We can provide a boutique experience to our clients that bigger firms can’t, yet we still have the same resources to help your case succeed. Above all, our goal is to protect your workplace rights and interests.

California’s pregnancy discrimination laws can be difficult to navigate on your own. You’ll want an experienced attorney with a long track record of success, like Briana Kim. Ms. Kim, who is fluent in English and Korean, received her Juris Doctorate in 2007 and has been selected to Super Lawyers for 2019-2026.

FAQs

How Do You Prove Pregnancy Discrimination?

To prove pregnancy discrimination, you’ll need strong evidence of illegal treatment in the workplace. This evidence can include emails, texts, company memos, and witness testimony detailing mistreatment. If necessary, you can look at how other pregnant coworkers were treated in the past to establish a pattern of discriminatory behaviors. Consider working with an attorney to help you collect the evidence you need for your case.

How Much Is a Pregnancy Discrimination Settlement in California?

It’s difficult to say how much a pregnancy discrimination settlement may be. Your settlement offer will depend on the damages you’ve suffered due to discrimination. How your life was impacted and for how long will inform the settlement amount. Work with a La Palma pregnancy discrimination attorney who can advocate for a settlement that accounts for the full scope of your losses.

Is It Hard to Receive Compensation in a Pregnancy Discrimination Case?

It can be hard to receive compensation in a pregnancy discrimination case, depending on the circumstances of the discrimination and the evidence available. With minimal evidence, such as emails, texts, or witness statements, recovering compensation could feel like an uphill battle. However, working with an experienced attorney who collects strong evidence can improve your chances of receiving damages for your losses.

Can My Employer Fire Me While I’m On Maternity Leave?

Yes, your employer can fire you while you’re on maternity leave, but they cannot fire you because you’re on leave. They must have a valid reason to do so. Many employers will cite previous performance issues to terminate an employee who is on maternity leave, but your lawyer can collect evidence to disprove these claims and show that the action was based solely on your taking leave.

Hire a La Palma Pregnancy Discrimination Lawyer

Your pregnancy should be a time of celebration, free of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Hire a pregnancy discrimination lawyer if your employer has fired you, harassed you, or subjected you to any other unfair treatment in the workplace due to your pregnancy. You could be entitled to various damages, including front pay, back pay, lost benefits, and emotional distress. Your attorney can collect evidence of your mistreatment and help you pursue compensation.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation, where we can discuss your case, learn about your goals, and create an effective strategy for recovering damages. The Law Office of Briana Kim is here to help guide you throughout the legal process. We give each client the attention they deserve, working closely with you every step of the way, from the initial consultation to trial at the Orange County Superior Court.

Locations

249 East Ocean Blvd, Ste 814
Long Beach, CA 90802

6 Centerpointe Dr, Ste 700,
La Palma, CA 90623