Pregnancy Discrimination Act

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. The Act defines any such discrimination as unlawful sex discrimination under Title VII. Pregnant women or women who have conditions related to pregnancy must be treated like other applicants or employees having comparable abilities and limitations. State laws also prohibit such discrimination.

This law does not always benefit women. For example, the Act prevents and employer from having a rule that prohibits an employee from returning to work for a fixed period of time after childbirth.

Employers need hold open a job for a pregnancy-related absence only as long as jobs are held open for employees on sick or disability leave.

Employer-based health insurance much cover expenses for pregnancy related conditions in a manner similar to coverage for other medical conditions, but health insurance for abortion is only required where the life of the mother is endangered. An employer is not required to carry any health insurance for its employees, but an employer may not discriminate against pregnancy related conditions if it does offer health insurance. The health insurance must provide the same amount of health benefits for wives of male employees as it does for husbands of female employees.