The Cost of Motherhood: How Pregnancy Discrimination Affects Employees and Families

brian meikle • 5 November 2024

Pregnancy discrimination remains a pervasive issue, despite legal protections designed to support employees during significant life events. A closer look at a real-world case offers insight into the challenges pregnant employees face and the shifts needed in workplace culture to create genuinely inclusive environments. 


At Chami Law, we have firsthand experience with pregnancy discrimination cases and have seen the profound toll they can take on entire families. One case that stands out involved a well-known freight and transportation company, where we represented a phenomenal client. She excelled in her role, earning several promotions throughout her career. However, after informing her bosses that she was pregnant and would need a leave of absence to prepare for her baby’s arrival, her experience at work took a sudden downturn. She began receiving write-ups, was told she was working too slowly, and was criticized for mistakes she hadn’t made. Then just two weeks before she’s ready to take her leave, she’s terminated. Ultimately, we got her a significant settlement holding the company accountable for its discriminatory actions. 


In cases like these, a lot of times we will see that employers just don’t want to deal with accommodating people with either disabilities, pregnancy or maternity leave. More importantly, allowing them to come back to work after they’ve completed their pregnancy leave. Another case we encountered involved a client who was allowed to take pregnancy leave and was on maternity leave for some time, unaware of what awaited her upon her return to work. When she was ready to return, the company was willing to take her back. However, instead of reinstating her as a supervisor, they placed her in a lower role as an assistant supervisor, effectively changing her position and responsibilities. Her pay was the same, but she was slowly being weeded out, and eventually they had no more hours for her, and she was let go. 


There are lots of ways that employers will find cause in their view of terminating someone or making them feel so uncomfortable that they will want to quit themselves. At Chami Law, we look for that when we are analyzing or evaluating a case. We determine what has happened since you informed your employer that you were injured, pregnant, or needed time off. We look for any changes in your work situation or treatment that may indicate discrimination. Then we will evaluate if these changes are actionable under the law and if they are material adverse employment actions that we can actually prosecute and win money for our client. Once we make that determination and decide this is a righteous case, we will go all in for our clients. We remain committed until we secure fair value, and if necessary, we’ll take the case all the way to trial, doing our best to win. 


At Chami Law, we believe that every employee deserves a workplace that respects their rights, especially during life’s pivotal moments. Pregnancy discrimination not only impacts individuals but also the families that depend on them. Through our commitment to justice, we stand with those affected, fighting for fair treatment and a workplace culture that values inclusivity and respect. 

Breaking the Mold: How FMLA is Shaping a New Era of Family Leave for Dads

3 December 2024
For decades, American workplace culture has fostered a rigid environment, one where relentless work hours, sacrifice, and dedication often came at the expense of personal life. Now, however, with laws like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gaining traction, we’re witnessing a slow but steady cultural shift. This transition has sparked discussions around leave policies, including maternity and paternity bonding time, and the importance of allowing workers—men included—to prioritize family and well-being. We at Chami Law witness both the progress and the hurdles firsthand. While some companies are embracing these changes, others continue to hold onto outdated policies that can end in harmful consequences for employees. In a recent case, we represented a male employee who took baby bonding leave for his first child. Upon his return to work, however, he was immediately terminated. The case ultimately came down to him informing his boss that his wife was about to have their baby and that he wanted to take bonding leave, which he believed was his legal right—even as a dad. His boss replied with skepticism, implying that while he could take baby bonding leave, it wasn’t part of the company’s culture. The boss added, you can take it, but it’s a little odd for a male to want baby bonding leave. In the end, he took the bonding leave and faced the consequences, ultimately securing a significant settlement as a result. Despite the legal right to take this leave, the company’s culture was clearly far from supportive. His termination served as a stark reminder that some workplaces remain rigid, even dismissive of family leave, especially for fathers. His case serves as an important step toward change, both in terms of corporate policies and societal views on family leave. Change takes time, and while our culture is evolving, it requires cases like his and the outcomes from those cases to create that change. At Chami Law, one of the primary reasons we advocate for employment laws is the positive change they can bring to our society. The beauty of employment law lies in its ability to create change on a case-by-case basis, weaving individual stories into the broader narrative of justice and societal values. Laws exist to uphold these ideals, ensuring workers are treated fairly and are not penalized for family obligations, age, or simply exercising their rights. At Chami Law, we believe that every case, every story, has the power to transform workplace culture and help align company policies with the fundamental rights of workers.

The Price of Age: How Age Discrimination Undermines Loyal Employees

by Pouya B. Chami • 3 October 2024
Age discrimination remains a deeply impactful issue for older employees, who often face prejudice despite years of loyal service. At Chami Law, we’re committed to seeking justice for individuals facing discrimination, and one particular case exemplifies the challenges and triumphs in this area. In a case we took all the way to trial, we won the third-largest age discrimination verdict in California for that year—a powerful win for both our client and the fight against workplace discrimination. Our client, a dedicated employee of a medical office, had devoted 29 years to her job, earning around $18 to $19 per hour. After experiencing the early loss of her husband and son, her job became her life. At 73 years old, she had no plans to retire, but due to unfortunate circumstances, she tore her Achilles and had to go on medical leave. During the time she was on medical leave, the medical practice was sold to another principal office who intended to modernize with a younger, tech-savvy staff. When she returned, she quickly noticed that her position and respect within the team had shifted. Her supervisors relegated her to a back-office role and began labeling her as “too slow,” criticizing her learning speed compared to younger employees. During her absence, she was replaced with a 28-year-old employee, and she found herself effectively replaced. Despite her commitment and years of experience, management soon accused her—falsely—of trying to steal clients for another medical practice. Ultimately these unfounded allegations resulted in her termination. Convinced that she had been targeted due to her age and disability leave, she sought our help at Chami Law. Together, we presented a strong case that argued her termination was both an act of age discrimination and retaliation for taking medical leave. Unfortunately, the employer refused to see the light and never agreed to any offer or fair number to resolve her case. 

Driven by Justice: Chami’s Love for Law

by Pouya B. Chami • 1 October 2024
Growing up, I was always fascinated in how people think and why human behavior is what it is. I wanted to understand the social psychology behind it all—why we act the way we do and what drives our decisions, particularly in our day-to-day lives. This fascination led me to study psychology at UCLA, where I dove deep into social psychology—the study of how we interact with one another and the world around us. This ultimately influenced my decision to attend law school, as the legal field offers the opportunity to make substantive differences in people's lives by applying aspects of psychology and behavioral modifications, all while weaving them into enforcing our laws. In other words, if you see something that isn’t right or notice people behaving in ways they shouldn’t, law—particularly employment law—gives you the opportunity to create change. That’s what ultimately drew me to it. Once I passed the bar and began working at a big law firm, I quickly experienced the perks of working for a big corporation—prestige, high pay, and the fast-paced environment of downtown offices. However, I wanted to branch off and help people that really needed me. For example, low-wage earners who are immigrants and have worked at a company for 15 years may get injured and then be terminated just a week later. These are the people who truly needed my support, and I found tremendous fulfillment in helping individuals like them. Representing individuals who had been wronged and helping them achieve life-changing results has become a highlight of my career. There’s nothing quite like securing a significant settlement for someone who’s worked hard their entire life and suddenly finds themselves facing an uncertain future due to mistreatment. For example, winning a $500,000 settlement for someone earning $17 an hour for the last 10 years is completely life changing. And knowing that I played a role in helping them secure that future is what motivates me. Employment law allows me to use the very principles I learned in psychology—understanding behavior, analyzing motivations, and seeking justice in a way that directly impacts people’s lives. By enforcing laws that should protect us all, I’m able to make a tangible difference.  This journey from psychology to law has shown me that purpose can evolve, but it always comes back to what moves you. For me, it’s about giving a voice to the voiceless and using my passion for understanding human behavior to enforce fairness and justice where it matters most. That’s how I found my purpose in law, and it’s what continues to inspire me every day.
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