Workers Come First Contact Us Today

Lawsuit Filed Against UCLA for Pregnancy Discrimination

Guha Law Feb. 3, 2022

Pregnant employees in California are due the same rights as anyone else in the workplace. Although pregnancy discrimination is illegal, it still happens. Recently, a woman filed a lawsuit against UCLA for that reason.

What Is the Lawsuit About?

The woman who filed the pregnancy discrimination lawsuit against UCLA is a former assistant dean at the school. Her claim alleges that she was fired after taking time off for maternity leave.

As her pregnancy was declared high risk by doctors, the woman had no choice but to take a few months off before her due date at the end of May. She took her leave claiming pregnancy-related illness. However, her supervisor informed her that she would have to reschedule meetings and that her work required her to travel for 12 days, according to the lawsuit. This was communicated to the woman in spite of her supervisor knowing that she had a high-risk pregnancy.

The plaintiff stated that when she requested a day off from work after working several straight days, it might not automatically be approved in spite of the knowledge of her pregnancy being high risk. Shortly after, the supervisor criticized the woman’s job performance.

What Happened Later?

Shortly after, the woman went on pregnancy disability. She was informed that UCLA offered her to resign or that she would be fired. According to the lawsuit, after she gave birth, she was told that UCLA claimed that she bullied her staff and had planned to fire her. As a result, she filed her pregnancy discrimination lawsuit.

A judge declared that the woman’s case could go to trial for pregnancy discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

Pregnant women have rights that allow them to legally take time off for maternity leave. If a woman is diagnosed with a high-risk pregnancy, they are entitled to go on disability. If you have faced workplace discrimination for being pregnant, it’s your right to fight back and hold your employer or supervisor accountable.