America's Companies Fail in Providing Maternity Benefits for Pregnant Employees

When comparing the United States to other countries, the US falls flat in regards to providing benefits to the pregnant employees in our country. Motherhood has become a deterrent to being gainfully employed in the United States.

Discrimination in the workplace can come in many forms. It can come in the form of discrimination based on age, disability, hair color, sex and even pregnancy. After all, it might be easy for one to understand why a woman who walked into a job interview eight months pregnant could be discriminated against. Of course, the employer would recognize that this potential job candidate would be absent from the new position in a short period of time. Even though the nation is on the decline in birth rate, pregnancy discrimination cases filed with the EEOC increased 39 percent between 1992 and 2003, this is making it one of the fastest-growing types of employment discrimination charge filed with the agency. It is growing faster than sexual harassment suits.

While there may be nothing realistically we can do about this situation Congress has dealt with issues surrounding pregnancy in the workplace for those already employed. In 1976 General Electric v. Gilbert [429 U.S. 125] it was ruled upon by the Supreme Court that General Electric’s refusal to cover pregnancy under its sick pay plan did not violate Title VII. Therefore the Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 amending Title VII by adding Section 701 (k) to Title VII. The Section says 

The terms "because of sex" or "on the basis of sex" include, but are not limited to because of or on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions; and women affected by pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all employment-related purposes, including receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs, as other persons not so affected but similar to their ability or inability to work. 

If a pregnant employee is fired it is a violation of Title VII.