Pregnancy Discrimination Act Essay - 1521 Words

I. Introduction With the rise of the modern age economic survival has become difficult for families based on a single income. This economic need along with modern attitudes toward gender equality has resulted in women being represented in the workforce in greater numbers. However, until the 1960’s women faced severe discrimination when trying to enter and maintain a position in the workforce. Often qualified women would be passed over for men with less experience and education. Employers were fearful that women were too emotional and were not equipped to handle the stress of the work environment. Also driving the decision to not hire or promote women was the concern over the additional health care expenses and leave time pregnant†¦show more content†¦Within the Civil Right act was a section entitled Title VII which was created specifically to deal with matters of employment. Title VII’s objective is to prevent discrimination based upon a person’s color, national origin, gender, and religion in regards to all aspects of employment. This protection begins with the initial stages of hiring and training employees and extends up to promotions and dismissals of an employees. If a person belonged to one of the groups outlined by Title VII they became classified as a member of a protected class. (Bohlander and Snell, 101) With the establishment of sex as a protected class the foundation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act had been laid but it would take fourteen years before pregnancy itself would become protected. The need for the new law to be established began with the conflicting outcomes coming from the various levels of the court system. The courts disagreed on what constituted sex discrimination. Six different United States Courts of Appeals had ruled in favor of pregnant women saying that any employment act that would adversely affect a pregnant woman was sex discrimination as outlined by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Supporting this position was the view of the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission who also agreed that discrimination based on a pregnancy would be considered sex discrimination. However, the United States Supreme Court would change all of that with its ruling in two separate courtShow MoreRelatedPregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978983 Words   |  4 PagesRunning Head: Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 Michelle C. Nelson Strayer University: Human Resource Management - BUS310002016*201004 Instructor: Carol G. Durst-Wertheim, Ph.D. Abstract The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 is an amendment to the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Under the act, an employer cannot lawfully refuse to hire a womanRead MoreThe Equal Opportunity Within A Work Place, The Pregnancy Discrimination Act Of The 1964 Civil Rights Act Essay2201 Words   |  9 Pageswill discuss the Equal Opportunity within a work place, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Privacy Polices within a work place, and Sexual Harassment within a workplace. Equal Opportunity Laws Title VII The first aspect of Human Resource that will be addressed is equal opportunity and the laws that provide for it. There were several equal opportunity laws enacted from 1964 to 1991. The first of these was Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which states that â€Å"an employer cannot discriminate on theRead MorePregnancy Discrimination Act1510 Words   |  7 Pagesunequal pay, sexual harassment, and promotion issues. One particular challenge women face is the fundamental right to have a family, which includes the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Managers in every organization should be familiar with this important act and the associated legal issues. In this paper, I will discuss the Pregnancy Discrimination Act by reviewing the history, presenting the employers and employees perspective, and I will conclude with suggestions for all managers and employers. HistoryRead MoreWomen Of The Civil Rights Act Of 19641481 Words   |  6 PagesRights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C.  §Ã‚ § 2000e et seq. (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) This act is very well-known, prohibiting harassment in the workplace and discrimination. A few years later, on October 31, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, an amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, into effect. Prohibiting sex discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. (Occupational Safety Health Guide Series Discrimination LawRead MoreEqual Opportunity Laws Title Vii Essay1233 Words   |  5 PagesVII The first aspect of Human Resource that will be addressed is equal opportunity and the laws that go along with it. There were several equal opportunity laws enacted from 1964 to 1991. 2 The first of these was Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which states that â€Å"an employer cannot discriminate on the basis of race, col or, religion, sex, or national original with respect to employment† (Dessler, 2013). 3 Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governmentsRead MoreEthical Behavior Can Be Defined As Business Principals Essay1178 Words   |  5 Pagesfalsifying reports, stealing, poor working environments, illegal trading and employee discrimination. With the growing number of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaints, this analysis will focus on pregnancy discrimination. In 2007, Peggy Young filed a lawsuit against United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) alleging her unfair treatment due to her pregnancy is in violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act 1978 (PDA), Young states that UPS refusing to accommodate her lifting restrictionsRead MoreAllen Vs. Isotoner Case Brief Essays1029 Words   |  5 PagesPractices Act, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, prohibits an employer from discriminating against a female employee because of or on the basis of lactation. Relevant law associated includes whether Allen established a prima facie case of â€Å"sex discrimination on the basis of pregnancy,† or whether she â€Å"was simply and plainly terminated as an employee at will for taking an unauthorized, extra break.† Allen’s original complaint was termination attributable to discrimination, based onRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Women Essay1616 Words   |  7 Pagesmade up of almost half of the employed population but still made of a low percentage of high-ranking jobs. Even though more women were starting to obtain better jobs, they began to suffer from pay discrimination. A law called The Equal Pay of 1963 was passed to protect women from facing pay discrimination, but still did not stop companies from paying women less than men. In 1970, women with the same jobs as men were only paid about 55 percent of men’s pay. Similarly working married women and/or womenRead MoreWomen and the Workplace: Pregnancy Discrimination in the United States3082 Words   |  13 PagesWomen and the workplace: Pregnancy Discrimination in the United States I. Abstract With an increasing number of women entering the workforce, pregnancy discrimination has become a pervasive problem. This paper, which focuses on the United States (US), thus considers the underlying reasons and impacts of this biasness from the perspectives of both employee and employer. It then follows with a study on the legal protections in place to prevent such behaviour. And lastly, it will analyse variousRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Female Athletes2133 Words   |  9 Pagesathletes are afraid of losing their scholarships so they either hide their pregnancy or even have abortions. In 2006 a Clemson athlete found out she was pregnant and was afraid to talk to her coach so she confided in her administrator. The administrator told her if her coach found out she would lose everything, and possible wouldn’t be able to receive her scholarship back. The athlete remembers signing a team document stating; â€Å"Pregnancy resulting in the inability to compete and positively contrib ute to