Pregnancy Discrimination Guides

Reviewed by Prue Alderton (PA), Editor-in-Chief — Pregnancy Discrimination Practice. Updated May 2026.

Understanding a pregnancy discrimination claim requires navigating several overlapping federal statutes — the PDA, Title VII, the PWFA, the FMLA, and the PUMP Act — each with different coverage rules, filing deadlines, and remedies. These guides cover the key areas in plain English, drawing on the statutes, EEOC regulations, and published federal court decisions.

All guides are educational materials, not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed employment attorney.

How damages are calculated

How Pregnancy Discrimination Damages Work

Covers the full Title VII damages framework: back pay (uncapped), compensatory and punitive damages (capped by employer size), front pay, and attorney fees. Explains how the Civil Rights Act of 1991 caps work, what Kolstad requires for punitive damages, and how PWFA remedies align with the Title VII structure.

Types of pregnancy discrimination

Types of Pregnancy Discrimination

Disparate treatment under the McDonnell Douglas framework, PWFA accommodation failures (and what the interactive process requires), failure to provide equal treatment under the PDA's Young v. UPS equal treatment rule, lactation discrimination, and hostile work environment claims.

What to do after discrimination

What to Do After Pregnancy Discrimination

Step-by-step: documenting the timeline, identifying comparators, filing an EEOC charge within the applicable deadline, requesting PWFA accommodation in writing while still employed, and finding employment counsel before the charge deadline expires.

Common misconceptions

Common Pregnancy Discrimination Misconceptions

Five myths that cause workers to misunderstand their rights: the family planning question prohibition, the employer size rule for PWFA, the scope of protected conduct beyond termination, FMLA and PDA interaction, and documentation demands for accommodation requests.

Additional resources