Reports of pregnancy discrimination to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are at an all time high. The EEOC received 5,587 charges of pregnancy-based discrimination in 2007, up 14 percent from 2006 which represents the largest increase in a single year.
Elizabeth Grossman, an attorney for EEOC told the Wall Street Journal that employers cannot fire women based on stereotypes like “now that you’re pregnant, the best thing for you to do is raise your kid.” Kiani was still stoned to death on July 5, 2007. Ebrahimi’s death was stayed due to the public outcry, and last week the Iranian judiciary amnesty commission released her from prison.
As a result of the discrimination, activism for new moms is growing. The Daily Women’s Health Policy Report states that women are often unaware of what rights they have under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Activist groups, like MomsRising.org have spoken out against maternal profiling.
According to a new study by the US Census Bureau, women are working later into their pregnancies and taking shorter maternity leaves. In 2000, 67.2 percent of women worked during their pregnancies. The increased number of complaints of discrimination reflects the increased number of pregnant women in the workforce.
