A woman’s pregnancy is a landmark moment in her life.
Today, there is a rise in the number of women who want to have children but don’t want to have a baby. It is because they are concerned about their health and well-being. The main reason for this is that they do not know if they can have children or whether or not they will be able to afford them if they decide to get pregnant. They may also be concerned about how long it will take them to conceive and whether or not it will be possible for them to raise their child as a single parent if they decide against having children. Various concerns exist about unfair treatment against pregnant employees inside and outside the workplace.
What’s meant by pregnancy and maternity discrimination?
Pregnancy and maternity discrimination are very sensitive issues. Pregnancy and maternity discrimination violates both the equality act and the human rights of a pregnant worker. It is a topic that has been debated for decades in the legal community. In the United States, pregnancy discrimination is when a person or a business has a policy that treats an employee differently or deprives the employee of the rightful benefits such as maternity pay and compulsory maternity leave. Unfair dismissal on the ground of pregnancy is also an act of discrimination.
Different types of pregnancy and maternity discrimination
Direct discrimination
Direct discrimination is based on the type of person rather than their sex, race, nationality, religion and age. It is possible to discriminate against someone because they have a disability.
One example of direct discrimination is when a company refuses to hire disabled people or someone with a particular related condition. Another example is when an employer refuses to hire someone with disabilities because he dislikes their personality.
Victimisation
Victimisation is the act of singling an individual out for cruel or unjust treatment. As per the definition, victimisation can result from an individual’s actions or those of another. It is a form of aggression directed at oneself or others.
There are different types of victimisation, and each type has its meaning and significance. They include;
Physical Victimisation
The effects of victimisation on people are quite enormous. It can lead to mental problems like stress and depression and physical issues like back injury or cancer. One of the effects of victimisation is that it produces a sense of hopelessness and helplessness in the victims. It will make them more vulnerable to being physically victimised by their perpetrator: e.g. Domestic abuse and sexual harassment.
Emotional Victimisation
Emotional Victimisation is a powerful technique designed to reduce the appeal of a person or group. It’s used in marketing, government policy, and academia. In marketing, emotional victimisation is used as a form of branding where the target audience is made to feel bad about themselves before they are motivated to buy something.
Mental Victimisation
It’s a common problem that most people experience at one point or another. It’s a dreadful feeling to be called names, insulted and belittled by others. It brings about physical pain in the form of physical pain, psychological pain and mental pain. The mental victims have been experiencing various negative emotions such as anger, upset and frustration for their entire lifetime.
These forms of victimisation are common in our society, and they affect people in different ways.
Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Inside of Work
Pregnancy and maternity discrimination are severe problems in the workplace. It can be a problem for pregnant women and men, depending on an organisation’s culture.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) was enacted to protect pregnant women from discrimination in the workplace. It is only possible for a pregnant woman to work if her employer has taken steps to ensure that the job will not put the mother and the child’s health in danger. If an employer fails to take steps, it can be fined $1,000 per day per employee affected due to unlawful discrimination.
Unlawful maternity discrimination
In some countries, it is illegal for employers to discriminate against mothers, but in others, it is not. Maternity and sex discrimination have been a problem for decades, and there are many reasons why it exists. Some may also think that women’s abilities as leaders or managers are less valuable than those of men; however, no studies prove this claim or disprove it either way.
A US court has ruled that an employer could not fire a woman for having a baby. The court said that the employer had no legal basis for firing her based on her pregnancy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, pregnancy and maternity are both joyful and frightening experiences. Pregnancy discrimination cases through the years prove that no employer, co-worker or person should use pregnancy against a woman. Laws and regulations have been made to safeguard our women and protect them against those who attempt to take advantage of their medical condition.
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FAQs
What is the difference between maternity and pregnancy?
Many men and women still believe that maternity and pregnancy are the same things. In reality, they are not. While maternity is a state of being in which a person has just given birth to a child, pregnancy is an emotional state that involves the development of a baby inside your body.
What are the four types of discrimination?
Discrimination is a person or group’s strong and deep negative feelings towards a particular condition. It can be based on colour, race, gender, ethnicity, etc. Many factors determine your discrimination, because of which you may feel different from others.
How do you prove pregnancy discrimination?
How do you prove that a woman is pregnant and not infertile? In most countries, the answer to this question is, “She can’t because she can’t be pregnant.” But new research shows that women with “abnormal” menstrual cycles may actually be fertile.
As the plaintiff, you must demonstrate that you were treated differently from other similarly situated employees due to your pregnancy, pregnancy-related condition, or childbirth to establish pregnancy discrimination.
Occasionally, an employer will admit that it acted with discriminatory intent by saying that your pregnancy was the reason why you were terminated, fired, or not promoted.
