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Pregnancy Discrimination Complaints at Record High

A record 4,901 pregnancy discrimination complaints were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2006. However, the actual number of pregnancy discrimination cases may be higher, as many women see filing complaints as a ‘career killer,’ said EEOC spokesperson David Grinberg, according to the Baltimore Sun.

The most common discrimination complaints from pregnant women are unlawful demotions, firing, and not being hired in the first place, according to the Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy Report. Maria Salacuse, an EEOC attorney in Baltimore, said that as more women become aware of their rights under the law, more are willing to file complaints, according to the Sun.

According to the EEOC, about 27 percent of the pregnancy discrimination cases closed during 2006 had favorable outcomes for the women. Not counting monetary awards obtained through litigation, the EEOC recovered $10.4 million on behalf of the pregnant women filing complaints in 2006, according to the Sun.

Sources:

Baltimore Sun 3/28/07; Kaiser Daily Women�s Health Policy Report 3/29/07; EEOC1/31/07

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