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Women say employee rights were violated in pregnancy lawsuit

| Mar 21, 2019 | Employment Law for Employees |

New Yorkers will try as hard as they can to balance their work and family lives. In many situations, this can be difficult. Laws are in place to prevent employers from practicing illegal workplace discrimination and holding employees back from advancement, dismissing them or violating other areas of their employee rights. Still, despite greater attention being paid to the topic and people asserting their rights, some employers continue to put company interests ahead of employee well-being and what is legal.

This can spark a legal filing. In some cases, one employee might begin the process of seeking justice against a company and will soon be joined by others who have faced similar treatment. For those who have been confronted by discrimination for any reason, having legal assistance and advice is key. This issue is being played out in a case in which a female executive filed a case against her employer for pregnancy discrimination. She stated that the company gave her a demotion and reduced her salary when it found out she was pregnant. After her case came to light, other employees also stated they were treated similarly and joined the claim.

In the filing, the chief operating officer is one of four partners in the firm accused of having asked one woman who joined the case if she was planning on having children. This occurred when she was being interviewed for a management job. She said she was asked to give her word that she would not do so because they needed a person who was completely focused on work. He laughed when she protested. She declined a job offer due to his comments. Others also say they faced pregnancy discrimination.

Based on employment law and the rights granted to employees, it is illegal to mistreat, dismiss, refuse to promote and initiate many other behaviors based on a decision to become pregnant. For those who have been confronted with these illegal activities, there are alternatives to seek compensation. Calling a law firm that helps people who are dealing with these issues is critical as employment law for employees can be complex and time is of the essence. Calling immediately is key.