March 1, 2012 Workplace Pregnancy Discrimination: Not What Moms-
to-Be Expect Our country celebrates motherhood, right? Tell that
to employers. Studies show that thousands of women across the
country are discriminated against because of pregnancy-related
issues and that discrimination charges against employers have
increased by 35 percent in the past decade, according to the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) statistics
reported by Time magazine. Since 1978, the Pregnancy
Discrimination Act has protected women from being fired or
subjected to harassment or demotion on the basis of their
pregnancy. But that hasn’t ended pregnancy-related
discrimination. “Pregnancy discrimination persists in the 21st
century workplace, unnecessarily depriving women of the means to
support their families,” said Jacqueline Berrien, chairwoman of
the EEOC. The result of a woman suddenly losing a job, insurance
benefits or being forced to work reduced hours is a swift fall
into poverty. What’s more, an Indiana Unive