Pregnancy Discrimination Claims Rise

4/3/2012 3:27 PM EST

A competitive labor market and a slow economy may be the reason for an increase in discrimination claims by pregnant women in the workplace, according to a number of employment attorneys.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently spotlighted the issue at a recent hearing in Washington and confirmed the spike in pregnancy bias claims.

Typical claims may involve women being fired from their jobs after informing their companies that they plan to take maternity leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Other, more common claims, involve women being discriminated against after returning from FMLA leave, such as negative performance reviews after a history of positive ones.

An EEOC attorney noted that the agency resolved pregnancy discrimination cases totaling $150.5 million in damages for over 52,000 women in the last ten years. Last year, the agency resolved a record number of cases, according to Lawyers USA Online (subscription required).

If you or a loved one has experienced workplace discrimination, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation.