Women and the Workplace Pregnancy Discrimination in the...

Women 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 various ethical issues involved in this unequal treatment of pregnant employees in the workplace using ethical frameworks such as Utilitarianism theory, Kantian Ethics and John Rawls’ Justice as Fairness. These ethical frameworks will help highlight†¦show more content†¦In fact, a study in the US showed that given identical credentials and interview performance of two individuals, the evidently pregnant applicant would be rated lower compared to a non-pregnant applicant. The negative mind-set of employers on pregnant employees plays an important role in causing discrimination. Women’s performance ratings were seen to decline after being pregnant, from â€Å"superb† to â€Å"terrible† as shared by one victim of pregnancy discrimination. This is because they are perceived as â€Å"overly emotional, often irrational, physically limited, and less than committed to their jobs† as compared to their non-pregnant woman counterparts and are hence â€Å"less valuable and dependable.† There is also the problem of additional workload for remaining staff or the potential need to hire temporary staff to tide over the maternity leave period. To compound the issue, employers suffer uncertainty as to when the employee will return to work, or worse, the employee leaves for good after their maternity leave period. In fact, a study done shows that only 60% of women go back to work within two years of their maternity leave. It is hence unavoidable that employers, being cost sensitive, worry that all the extra cost incurred will ultimately become a meaningless loss if their pregnant employees do not return to work. This is especially dreadful for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) with a very small staff size. The absence of oneShow MoreRelatedWomen 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 MoreA Brief Note On Workplace Discrimination And The Workplace1063 Words   |  5 PagesWorkplace Discrimination Throughout history, discrimination happens all the time without one being aware of it. One place this happens very frequently is in the workplace. Discrimination has been indeed a controversial topic in every generation. There are many ways discrimination is often occurred in a workplace, and gradually increases when treating someone unfairly because of their gender. Another form of discrimination is women discrimination in a workplace. In most cases, it can lead to quittingRead MoreWomen Of The Civil Rights Act Of 19641481 Words   |  6 Pagesmany American women to begin seeking jobs in the workforce. However, many qualified women were quickly looked over by men, some with fewer years of experience and education. Potential employers felt that women would not be able to face the stress that went along with work. So 1964, the United States enacted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C.  §Ã‚ § 2000e et seq. (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) This act is ver y well-known, prohibiting harassment in the workplace and discriminationRead MoreA Brief Note On Discrimination And The Workplace Essay1197 Words   |  5 PagesBAD 240 Research Paper Discrimination in the Workplace Imagine being restricted of certain jobs for reasons that have nothing to do with your capability to do something or your skills This is called discrimination. Discrimination is â€Å"the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex† (Oxford Dictionary). It is obvious that people have to go through this everyday just because they don’t fit the description of what society has imposedRead MoreNegative Effects of Gender Discrimination at Workplaces in the USA1037 Words   |  5 Pagesdue to that fact that women are demanding their rights at workplaces. Mostly, they try harder to be appropriate and successful in their careers rather than men. ‘Differential treatment within the labor market is what we refer to as labor market discrimination’ (Ehrenberg and Smith, 2012, p398). Gender discrimination against women in the market place reduces the available talent in workplaces and has negative co nsequences on the country. Gender discrimination in the United States can lead to damagesRead MoreDiscrimination In The Workplace Essay1565 Words   |  7 PagesDiscrimination is a topic that has been around for a very long time. Most people today do not realize how discrimination affects everyone around them and might even happen to them from time to time. â€Å"Discrimination means treating a person unfairly because of who they are or because they possess certain characteristics such as age, gender, race, disability, religion, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, and marriage and civil partnership† (EOC 2017). There are many typesRead MoreSpeech On The Womens Movement1175 Words   |  5 Pagescould mean so much to women s independence? That little pill was birth control something a lot of us today take for granted, something any woman can get from a free clinic.The time where women were expected to be housewives changed, a revolution happened that would grant women rights that they never had before. Central Idea The women s movement of the 1960’s sought significant improvement in legal economic and political rights. Credibility I am from a country where women do not have as many freedomsRead MoreThe Gender Discrimination And Inequality Essay1611 Words   |  7 Pagesillustrate the gender discrimination and inequality issues at work and in leadership, consider the reaction to solve these questions. 1.2 Parameters This report discusses some key issues that occur at work and in the leadership of gender discrimination and inequality and current their improved programs in Australia and the United States. It illustrates background context, analysis and future direct, as well, there is 2000 words limit. 1.3 Definitions Gender discrimination is a situation inRead MorePregnancy Discrimination Act1510 Words   |  7 PagesWomen are continually entering the workforce in various sectors. Working women face challenges in the workplace including unequal 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 historyRead MoreEqual Employment Opportunity and Employee Rights Review Paper1352 Words   |  6 Pagesemployment. To prohibit discrimination, the United States has governed laws that protect the citizens from all types of discriminations. This allows organizations to focus on promoting employment based on a person’s abilities. The two laws chosen for review are the Pregnancy Act of 1978 and Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. We will also discuss Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. Provide a General summary of each Law The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, was Women and the Workplace Pregnancy Discrimination in the... Women 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 various ethical issues involved in this unequal treatment of pregnant employees in the workplace using ethical frameworks such as Utilitarianism theory, Kantian Ethics and John Rawls’ Justice as Fairness. These ethical frameworks will help highlight†¦show more content†¦Should they be able to prove that the same action was to be taken immaterial of the pregnancy, it is not illegal. Furthermore, because of the legal fees involved, despite the numerous pregnancy discrimination cases published yearly, many cases have gone undetected, especially among low-wage workers. The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is another legal protection against pregnancy discrimination. Under FMLA, eligible employees are entitled up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave due to reasons such as the inability to work due to pregnancy, labour or childcare after birth. By legalizing reasonable unpaid leave for family or medical reasons, it aimed to promote the family-work life balance and gender equality in the workplace. Nevertheless, these laws work under the assumption that every pregnant woman will have the consistent ability to perform tasks like before. The PDA promotes equality in the workplace for these women based on merits, but fails to consider many cases where the temporary physical inabilities due to pregnancy hinder their full capacity to perform their roles in the same way. While the Americans with Disabilities Act ensures the workplace provides reasonable accommodation for any disabilities caused by pregnancy, most effects of pregnancy are minimal and hardly fall into its definition of disabilities. Laws are therefore needed to assist those with partial inabilities due to pregnancyShow MoreRelatedWomen 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 MoreA Brief Note On Workplace Discrimination And The Workplace1063 Words   |  5 PagesWorkplace Discrimination Throughout history, discrimination happens all the time without one being aware of it. One place this happens very frequently is in the workplace. Discrimination has been indeed a controversial topic in every generation. There are many ways discrimination is often occurred in a workplace, and gradually increases when treating someone unfairly because of their gender. Another form of discrimination is women discrimination in a workplace. In most cases, it can lead to quittingRead MoreWomen Of The Civil Rights Act Of 19641481 Words   |  6 Pagesmany American women to begin seeking jobs in the workforce. However, many qualified women were quickly looked over by men, some with fewer years of experience and education. Potential employers felt that women would not be able to face the stress that went along with work. So 1964, the United States enacted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C.  §Ã‚ § 2000e et seq. (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) This act is ver y well-known, prohibiting harassment in the workplace and discriminationRead MoreA Brief Note On Discrimination And The Workplace Essay1197 Words   |  5 PagesBAD 240 Research Paper Discrimination in the Workplace Imagine being restricted of certain jobs for reasons that have nothing to do with your capability to do something or your skills This is called discrimination. Discrimination is â€Å"the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex† (Oxford Dictionary). It is obvious that people have to go through this everyday just because they don’t fit the description of what society has imposedRead MoreNegative Effects of Gender Discrimination at Workplaces in the USA1037 Words   |  5 Pagesdue to that fact that women are demanding their rights at workplaces. Mostly, they try harder to be appropriate and successful in their careers rather than men. ‘Differential treatment within the labor market is what we refer to as labor market discrimination’ (Ehrenberg and Smith, 2012, p398). Gender discrimination against women in the market place reduces the available talent in workplaces and has negative co nsequences on the country. Gender discrimination in the United States can lead to damagesRead MoreDiscrimination In The Workplace Essay1565 Words   |  7 PagesDiscrimination is a topic that has been around for a very long time. Most people today do not realize how discrimination affects everyone around them and might even happen to them from time to time. â€Å"Discrimination means treating a person unfairly because of who they are or because they possess certain characteristics such as age, gender, race, disability, religion, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, and marriage and civil partnership† (EOC 2017). There are many typesRead MoreSpeech On The Womens Movement1175 Words   |  5 Pagescould mean so much to women s independence? That little pill was birth control something a lot of us today take for granted, something any woman can get from a free clinic.The time where women were expected to be housewives changed, a revolution happened that would grant women rights that they never had before. Central Idea The women s movement of the 1960’s sought significant improvement in legal economic and political rights. Credibility I am from a country where women do not have as many freedomsRead MoreThe Gender Discrimination And Inequality Essay1611 Words   |  7 Pagesillustrate the gender discrimination and inequality issues at work and in leadership, consider the reaction to solve these questions. 1.2 Parameters This report discusses some key issues that occur at work and in the leadership of gender discrimination and inequality and current their improved programs in Australia and the United States. It illustrates background context, analysis and future direct, as well, there is 2000 words limit. 1.3 Definitions Gender discrimination is a situation inRead MorePregnancy Discrimination Act1510 Words   |  7 PagesWomen are continually entering the workforce in various sectors. Working women face challenges in the workplace including unequal 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 historyRead MoreEqual Employment Opportunity and Employee Rights Review Paper1352 Words   |  6 Pagesemployment. To prohibit discrimination, the United States has governed laws that protect the citizens from all types of discriminations. This allows organizations to focus on promoting employment based on a person’s abilities. The two laws chosen for review are the Pregnancy Act of 1978 and Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. We will also discuss Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. Provide a General summary of each Law The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, was