QUESTION
can a company force you to quit or fire you for being temporarily unable to do certain aspects of the job because of pregnancy
Asked on Aug 31st, 2014 on Labor and Employment - Georgia
More details to this question:
My job says I have to have my doctor retract my doctors note because it says I can't lift 10-15 lbs and that I can take breaks to sit down if I need to because of my pregnancy. It is a temporary doctors note and it expires when I go into labor in December. They said if I don't have the new note I will be A- forced to go on 2 - week maternity leave way to early B- a new note saying I can lift the heavy boxes and stand 8-9 hours without sitting or having a break. C- put my two weeks in D- fire me for being temporarily unable to do certain aspects of the job.
1 ANSWER
Labor and Employment Attorney serving Atlanta, GA
2 Awards
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act that provide that an employer's refusal to make a reasonable accommodation for a pregnant employee is unlawful under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. You must file an EEOC charge wuithin 180 days of the employer's unlawful act (in this case, by refusing to make a reasonable accommodation).
Your employer is covered by the PDA so long as it employs at least 15 employees for at least 20 weeks.
Michael A. Caldwell
404-979-3154
Answered on Sep 05th, 2014 at 12:56 PM